ANGLICAN KNIGHTHOOD: THE MYTH & FACTS By: Kendrick A. Christian

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ANGLICAN KNIGHTHOOD: THE MYTH & FACTS
By: Kendrick A. Christian

In the Anglican Communion, knighthood is an honour bestowed to men and women with remarkable contributions and impeccable character. Contrary to a status symbol, knighthood is a calling to serve God and humanity.

There’s yet an unsettled debate on when knighthood started. An unverified report has it that an Anglican priest may have invested knighthoods in Akwa in the 1920s. While a documented record has it that in 1932, the Anglican Church of the Niger Mission invested the Knighthood of Round World (KRW) to four Christians in honour of their tremendous missionary work.

The Anglican church adopted six Orders of Knighthood, namely: Saint Paul (KSP); Saint Christopher (KSC); Saint Augustine (KSA); Good Shepherd (KGS); Saint Mary (KSM); and Ladies of Bethany (LB). These are referred to as Patron Saints, and Knights invested into their Order are expected to emulate their virtues.

Originally, knighthood in the church was initiated when there was a dire need to protect worshippers and redeem its worth from fierce invaders. Then, a knight must be combatant, and that is what the sword strapped by their waist symbolised. The protective task of Knighthood hasn’t change changed. There’s just an advancent in their mode of operation. Knights are expected to be soldiers of Christ. Their Regalia One is a reminder of this assignment, and it’s more spiritual than physical.
Protecting the church will always remain a necessity until Christ returns, so the value of Knighthood can not be outdated. Then, knights needed more of a combatant skill to protect the church. Now, the gifts of the spirit of God are the most required.

Mythconception is the foremost challenge that faced knighthood, right from its establishment in Nigeria. The two major myths about knighthood are that it’s a cult and an elitist institution purely for the wealthy. In my own view, the latter assertion is positive and nonapologetic. In today’s church, more elites are required to defend the church with their resources and expertise. What should be our concern is whether these elites are born again? This is not to concede that knighthood is for only the upper class. In my home Diocese, the Diocese of Okrika in Rivers State, Nigeria, i can point a few who clearly were invested purely for their labour in God’s Vineyard, I’m hoping this is the case in other dioceses.

The most infectious and regrettable assertion is that knighthood is a cult, a cult in a church? How convenient would that be? While I can not attest to the allegiance of an individual knight, it is absurd to believe that knighthood is anything contrary to what it should be, an army for Christ. This myth, in particular, is fuelled by the individual activities of a knight. No wonder the Bible instructed in Matthew 5:16
_”In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”_
Those knights who are members of the AMORC, Ogboni, Freemason, and other secret cults, are your light and deeds glorifying your Father in heaven?

You will agree with me that any other arm of the Church can face the same defamation the knighthood is facing. All it takes is for the of that arm_group to be identified with unchristian characters like occultism and the likes. Oftentimes, you hear people accuse choristers/fellowship members fornicating with each other. Does this imply that the choir or AYF is an association of fonicators? Certainly not! The race is personal.

Every Christian, not knights alone, should note that his or her life is like a mirror. People will either see Christ through you or the devil! The choice is ours to make.

Kendrick A. Christian
Writing from the Diocese of Okrika