As the majority of bishops attending the Lambeth Conference settled into daily Bible Study, Indaba groups and conversations across differences it was made clear that at least a percentage of the purple shirts on the Canterbury campus are focused on conflict rather than collegiality.Having issued statements on the ongoing genocide in Sudan and the ongoing discussions on human sexuality in the Anglican Communion, it was not genocide but sexuality that was the focus of the Sudanese primate's briefing to the media.
In the press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the Primate of the Sudan (the Most Rev. Dr. Daniel Deng Bul) called for the resignation of the Bishop of New Hampshire, declaring in the statement released ahead of the press conference that he had come to the Lambeth Conference “to take the necessary steps to safeguard the precious unity of the Church.”
When asked about ministering to the gays and lesbians in his province, the archbishop declared that he did not think there were any homosexuals in the Sudan as “none had come forward.” And when queried about his position on the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate said he “believed in women priests and bishops because they were human” – leaving listeners to wonder if the inference was that homosexuals were not.
The fact that there are those within the communion who think the Bishop of New Hampshire should resign is not news. Indeed, there have been calls for his resignation since the day he was elected.
What is news is that the Archbishop of the Sudan helped make the case on Tuesday that the schism facing the Anglican Communion is the direct result of hard-line reactionaries who will stop of nothing short of compliance with their narrow, exclusionist agenda as their criterion for being in communion.
What is news is that a bishop in the Church of God would deny the existence of gay and lesbian members of his province despite the call for listening to the experience of homosexual people throughout the communion.
On Wednesday evening, Integrity USA will present a preview screening of the documentary “Voices of Witness: Africa” as one of the Lambeth Conference Fringe Events. Everyone is welcome – most particularly Archbishop Deng Bul.
We would love to share with him the witness of gay and lesbian Africans who are not only fully human but fully loved by the God who created them in love.
I think that says it very nicely, that you...being human is important to those of us who are walking around beliving we are ALL, in fact, ALL children of God!
ReplyDeleteooops, I mean, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis statement is truly depressing given the parameters which the good ABC said were in place for none of this type of language.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the Communion should divide. They say we hamper their witness by our inclusion of LGBT clergy and laity. We say they hamper our witness with this sort of pronouncement which gets the headlines.
Sigh
Better yet - compare what the archbishop actually said with how it has been (mis)characterized above. Context and all that. (Dare ya!)
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read a statement as poignant as this: "This issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Communion has a very serious effect in my country. We are called ‘infidels’ by the Moslems. That means that they will do whatever they can against us to keep us from damaging the people of our country. They challenge our people to convert to Islam and leave the infidel Anglican Church. When our people refuse, sometimes they are killed. These people are very evil and mutilate and harm our people. I am begging the Communion on this issue so no more of my people will be killed."
ReplyDeleteWhat saddens and angers me is that the GLBT lobby will ignore this plea. They are so focused on slamming their agenda through that they care not a whit for Christian lives in Africa. I call them evil, for that is what they are and that is what they do--and I'm not talking about what they do in their bedrooms here. God will deal with them, but not before many more Anglicans and other Christians are martyred. My heart hurts for the Sudanese bishops and the souls in their care.
From Midwest Consewrvative Journal
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ReplyDeleteAccording to Archbishop Deng Bul, supported by "prairiewords," who is happy to refer to GLBT folk as "evil" (!), Muslims would stop torturing and killing Christians if only all the GLBT folk in Anglicanism would go away. After all, as we all know, the Muslims in Sudan were all sweetness and light to the Christians before +Gene Robinson was consecrated bishop of New Hampshire and before some American and Canadian churches blessed same-sex-unions! Sure!
ReplyDeleteBut, as a gay Christian, on the chance that my absence from Anglicanism might actually do some good for the suffering Christians of Sudan, I will hereby affirm that I am leaving Anglicanism. I'm tired of being the "evil" enemy responsible all the troubles of the "Communion." I hope all the other GLBT folk will join me. It's time we left. All of us. Let ARchbishop Deng Bul and Co. have their "Communion". I'll be seeking a kinder Christian home. The United Church of Christ seems attractive.
gay and lesbian Africans who are not only fully human but fully loved by the God who created them in love
ReplyDeleteMore specifically, the God who created them gay and lesbian (and bisexual and transgender) in queer love.
Name it and claim it, Susan! (It gets us nothing to be even slightly vague on this point)
***
Re Sudanese Anglicans (being martyred by Muslims): for love of Christ (and as God gives me strength), I'd give up my life for them...
...but I wouldn't give up my love.
OK JCF, you're right; lets not be vague. I ask this question with genuine interest in what the GLBT response is: How do you read Romans 1:24-27? I'm not being sarcast, snarky, or what have you. I really want to know what the response is?
ReplyDeleteWhen asked about ministering to the gays and lesbians in his province, the archbishop declared that he did not think there were any homosexuals in the Sudan as “none had come forward.”
ReplyDeleteand who would...to come out in sudan is to DIE....
to come out in America is only to be discriminated against...
bill M Redding Ca