American church 'lost its way'

2007-08-31 09:00

Katharine Houreld

Nairobi - More than a century ago, Western missionaries began streaming into Africa looking for souls in need of salvation. Now, conservative American priests say it's their church that needs saving.

On Thursday, two United States' priests were consecrated as Anglican bishops in Kenya, the latest in a string of priests who were defecting to African congregations because of the American church's liberal stance on gays.

Kenyan Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi as he consecrated Bill Atwood and William Murdoch, said: "The West used to send missionaries to Africa and the third world. But now the third world is sending its missionaries to the West."

Atwood and Murdoch left the Episcopal Church, the US branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, because it allowed the ordination of gay priests.

Anglican province 'self-governing'

As Kenyan bishops, the men would return to their homes - Atwood to Texas and Murdoch to Massachusetts - to minister to 32 congregations under Nzimbi's jurisdiction.

The issue had heightened significance for Murdoch, whose brother was a gay priest in Massachusetts. After his consecration on Thursday, Murdoch said: "My brother and I love each other and we always will .... The difference of opinion we have regarding this issue will not distract us."

The spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, had asked African archbishops not to consecrate US priests to help avoid a schism.

Nzimbi said there had been no direct communication with Williams over Thursday's ceremony. Williams had no direct authority to force a compromise because each Anglican province was self-governing.

The Anglican Communion had moved toward the brink of splitting since the Episcopal Church consecrated its first openly gay bishop, V Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, in 2003.

Most of the fellowship's 77 million members were based in the developing world, where homosexuality was strongly discouraged and often illegal.

Homosexual 'violate the order life'

Africa, home to half the world's Anglicans, was dominated by conservative leaders.

Archbishop Drexel Gomez of the West Indies, one of 10 Anglican leaders or their representatives who attended the consecration ceremony at Nairobi's All Saints Cathedral, said: "Homosexual practices violate the order of life given by God in Holy Scripture."

There were 38 Anglican leaders, or primates, worldwide. During Thursday's ceremony, Atwood said accepting homosexuality was "a cruel falsehood".

He added: "The very core message of the Christian church is being abandoned."

Rosalind Hackett, professor of religious studies at University of Tennessee, said the dispute was part of a wider shift in Christianity, with African churches increasingly confident in challenging Western interpretations of theology.

Hackett said: "They feel they have the right and capability to determine the agenda. The 21st century is Africa's moment."

- AP