Zuma's no pastor of ours, says church

The Full Gospel Church on Tuesday distanced itself from the ordination of African National Congress Deputy President Jacob Zuma as an honorary pastor.

“An independent charismatic organisation had used the facility of the Full Gospel Church in Ntuzuma, KwaZulu-Natal for the event and the Full Gospel Church had no part in the conferring of this status,” church secretary general pastor Christy Perumal said in a statement.

Zuma was made honourary pastor at a meeting of independent charismatic churches at Ntuzuma, north of Durban, on Saturday.

Perumal said his church was the largest Pentecostal denomination in Southern Africa and had no constitutional provision for ordaining Zuma as an “honourary” pastor.

“The status and the privileges embodied in that status is unknown to us,” Perumal said.

‘No end to the disgraces’

The Christian Front (CF) said on Sunday that Zuma’s ordination was “shameful”.

“There seems to be no end to the disgraces that follow Zuma around. Zuma is an opportunistic politician and is now also trying to woo the church into his corner,” said Councillor Rudi du Plooy.

Du Plooy cited Zuma’s rape trial and his views on same sex marriages “as a disgrace to the nation and God” and reasons why he should not be made a pastor.

“Scandal and court cases abound in his life. It is outrageous for a person like this to be seen as a humble servant of the most high,” he said. - Sapa