US must repent - angry bishops
2005-01-28 19:01
Nairobi - Conservative Anglican bishops on Friday demanded that the US branch of the church repent for ordaining an openly gay bishop and reverse the action ahead of next month's worldwide meeting of congregational leaders in Northern Ireland.
Nigerian primate Peter Akinola, a spokesperson for Anglican bishops from Asia, Africa and Latin America who met here this week, said the US Episcopal Church must "repent" for ordaining a homosexual, Gene Robinson, as bishop of New Hampshire in November 2003.
"America must repent, they must put a stop to that practice," Akinola told reporters here. "If God says (homosexuality) is an abomination, they should say it is an abomination... if God says it is wrong, then it is wrong."
"Homosexuality is a non-issue to us," he said. "Sexuality is God's gift to man and is what you enjoy between man and woman in the comfort of their room (or) house.
"We do not advertise sex in Africa," said Akinola, who has led vocal opposition to the ordination of gay bishops in the past.
Anglican leaders from around the world are to meet in Belfast from February 20 to 26 to discuss a report commissioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, after several conservative provinces threatened to split in the wake of Robinson's ordination.
Asked whether they would permanently split if the US branch fails to reverse course, Akinola replied: "When we get to the bridge, we shall cross it."
But one bishop attending the five-day meeting of Global South (Africa, Asia and Latin America) Anglican bishops in Nairobi said: "We will go Belfast, but we are not ready to compromise on homosexuality, whatever the price."
The threat of permanent schism in the Anglican church is especially great in developing countries, where many church leaders stick to the scriptural precept that the practice of homosexuality is a sin.
The Anglican faith has about 70 million adherents worldwide.
Last month, Jayne Ozanne, senior advisor to Archbishop Williams, warned that the deeply divided worldwide Anglican communion could "implode and self-destruct" over gay clerics and other sensitive issues.