Gay bishop: Kenya cuts ties
2003-11-10 21:52
Nairobi - The Anglican Church of Kenya has barred all 28 its dioceses from having any involvement with Gene Robinson, the new bishop of New Hampshire in the United States - and the first openly gay clergyman.
Robinson's consecration on November 2 has threatened to split the global Anglican community.
Robinson has lived with a male partner for the past 13 years.
"With his consecration, we have reached a crucial and critical point in the life of the Anglican Communion and we have had to conclude that the future of the Communion itself will be put (in) jeopardy. In this case, the Anglican Church of Kenya will not recognise the ministry of this one bishop," said a letter, which was copied to Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Williams is the leader of the world's 70 million Anglicans, in 164 countries. Of these, about 38 million are Africans.
The Anglican Church of Kenya has also severed ties with any diocese associating itself with the Episcopal Church - the US arm of the Anglican Church.
"Those agreeing with Robinson, we have no fellowship with them," Rt Rev William Waqo, a personal assistant to Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, told IPS in a telephone interview.
In addition, the Anglican Church in neighbouring Uganda has cut ties with the New Hampshire Diocese.
A split is envisaged in the Anglican Church, as most clergymen from developing countries are opposed to the appointment of Robinson, throwing the 450-year-old church into the biggest dilemma of its time.
The controversy surrounding homosexuality in the church increased at the start of August, when Robinson was elected bishop of New Hampshire diocese.
During Robinson's consecration, Archbishop of the Church of Nigeria Peter Akinola, who is leader of 17.5 million Anglicans in the West Africa nation, remarked in a statement: "We cannot and will not recognise the office or ministry of canon Gene Robinson as bishop.
We deplore the act of those bishops who have taken part in the consecration, which has now divided the church."
An emergency meeting bringing together church leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America will be held in Nairobi on November 17. It is expected to salvage the Anglican Communion from imminent collapse. - Sapa-IPS
- SAPA