Top African Anglican Archbishops Criticize Church of England's New Policy
Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola and Ugandan Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi criticized a policy of the Church of England that says gay priests who register same-sex partnerships under a new civil law and keep celibacy will remain in good standing.
Africa's two most influential Anglican Archbishops reprimanded the liberal attitude of Church of England on same-sex issues on Thursday during their visit to New York.
According to Associated Press (AP), Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola and Ugandan Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi criticized a policy that says that gay priests who register same-sex partnerships under a new civil law and keep celibacy will remain in good standing.
The policy, which was released from England's bishops July 25, also states that lay Anglicans who register civil unions will not be excluded from the sacraments as well.
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Akinola, a main vocal in opposing homosexuality, said at the Sept. 8 news conference that "if England adopts a new faith, alien to what has been handed to us together, they will walk apart. Simple as that," AP reported.
He continued, stating that Anglican Church must discipline the Church of England from now on, in addition to U.S. and Canadian churches, which have been open to same sex rites.
In a vote in Nottingham, England on June 22, the Anglican Communion decided to exclude U.S. and Canadian churches from the Anglican Consultative Council, reaffirming a February request that both churches "voluntarily withdraw" from the important decision-making body until 2008.
At the Thursday conference, Orombi said that Akinola's comment on the pro-homosexuality policy of the Church of England properly represented all of African Anglican church leaders' positions. According to AP, the Ugandan archbishop added that "we see a different direction taking place" in England, and "we can only pray and hope they do not walk away."
Together, Akinola and Orombi lead a total of 26 million members, a third of the world's Anglicans. This number is equal to the Church of England membership.
With 77,000,000 members worldwide, the Anglican Communion has suffered seriously in conflicts since a U.S. Episcopal Church ordained an actively gay bishop in 2003. Later a church in Canada also began to bless same-sex marriages. Conservative leaders of Southeast Asia, Africa, South America have been strongly opposed to pro-homosexual attitudes of the Communion’s U.S. and Canadian churches. Now, the Church of England was added to the list of liberal bodies.
The Anglican split over same sex issues is expected to be further discussed at Nigeria's national synod, which begins today; a meeting of Africa's primates in Tanzania Sept. 19-22; and a special international conference for conservative Anglicans in Cairo, Egypt from Oct. 25.
The two African Archbishops visited New York to receive awards from Kairos Journal, an online magazine, for “their bold and consistent stand" against the U.S. and Canadian churches. Presiding Bishop Gregory Venables of southern South America and Archbishop Datuk Yong Ping Chung of South East Asia were also among the awarded.
None of visiting priests are planning to meet the Rev. Frank Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church USA.
