Primate upset by presence of witches

Wiccans should not be invited to any future interfaith gatherings, says the Anglican archbishop of Cape Town. “I don’t think that’s a religion,” he said.

Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane made the remarks following the parliament of the World’s Religions in December.

“(The parliament) should not be open to everyone who says they are a religion,” he said.

More than 7,000 people attended the event, including the Dalai Lama – and a coven of witches from Chicago.

The archbishop was joined by South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris in criticizing the breadth of groups who attended the parliament.

“Religion should be democratic, but the wider the definition the more one loses depth – the whole thing becomes an exercise in artificiality,” the rabbi said.

“The fear is that one gets a bunch of weirdos using the (parliament) to get publicity.”