Musa Filibus | |
|---|---|
| 13th President of Lutheran World Federation (LWF) | |
| Church | Lutheran |
| Archdiocese | Nigeria |
| Province | North East, Nigeria |
| Diocese | Mayo Belwa |
| Elected | 13 May 2017 |
| In office | 13 May 2017 - date |
| Predecessor | Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan |
| Previous post(s) | Lecturer Bronnum Lutheran Seminary, Yola,
Adamawa State, Nigeria (1993) Provost (1998 - 2002) Area Secretary for Africa, Department for Mission and Development LWF ( 2002 - 2010) Director, Department for Mission and Development LWF (2010 - 2013) Deputy General Secretary, LWF (2012 - 2013) Bishop, Mayo Belwa Diocese (2013 - 2016) Archbishop LCCN (2017 - date) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1994 |
| Consecration | 2013 |
| Created cardinal | 2017 by Bishops of LCCN |
| Rank | Archbishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1960 |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Education | PhD in Philosophy, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Coat of arms |  |
Musa Panti Filibus (born in 1960) is a Nigerian Archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) and president of Lutheran World Federation (LWF).[1] Elected at the LWF 12th Assembly in Windhoek, Namibia 13 May 2017, Archbishop Panti Filibus is the 13th president and second from Africa to head Lutheran World Federation's highest authority established in 1947 to oversee the church with about 72 million members in 147 countries. After his election, he led a delegation of seven Regional Vice-presidents to meet Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church to strengthen relationship between the two churches. Archbishop Filibus told the Catholic pontiff that the past 50 years of improved relationship in worship had seen a departure “from conflict to communion”. Pope Francis who had in 2015 participated in the Lutheran Church 500th anniversary of reformation in Sweden urged LWF delegation to continue on the road of reconciliation to full unity.[2][3][4]
In 2002, Filibus was the area secretary for Africa in the Department for Mission and Development (DMD) working with several churches under Mission Africa until 2010, when he was elevated to the position of Director of DMD.[5] He was consecrated the first bishop of his local diocese of Mayo Belwa in Nigeria's north east state of Adamawa in 2013 after its creation at the peak of violent campaign against Christians by Islamist extremist Boko Haram that led to a forced closure of several churches in the area. In 2016, he was elected the Archbishop of the Nigeria church.[6] Archbishop Filibus is noted for his humility, sympathy for the poor, commitment to interfaith relationship and peace, gender equality and spartan life style. For instance, in spite being the leader of the Lutheran World Federation, Filibus still maintains his small cathedral residence in Numan, north east Nigeria where there are frequent clashes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders. In November 2017, dozens were reportedly killed[7] in the area in a clash between farmers and herders but Filibus choose to stay helping victims of the attacks. His life style is a sharp contrast to many Nigerian clergy men who live in opulence flaunting private jets.
- ^ "Nigerian Archbishop new leader of the Lutheran World Federation | DW | 16.05.2017". DW.COM. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
- ^ AsiaNews.it. "For the pope, Catholics and Lutherans can no longer afford to be adversaries or rivals". www.asianews.it. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
- ^ "Lutheran World Federation President: Pope's' Reformation visit marked turning point - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 2017-12-08. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
- ^ "Pope hails role of shared prayer in resolving church conflicts- La Croix International". international.la-croix.com. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
- ^ "Two international alums appointed to new leadership positions for LWF - Story Magazine - Luther Seminary". www.luthersem.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
- ^ WINDHOEK, Namibia | 13/5/2017 (2017-05-13). "Nigerian Archbishop Panti Filibus Musa elected LWF President". The Lutheran World Federation. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "27 persons killed in Numan farmers-herders' clash –Police". Punch Newspapers. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 2019-11-06.