Africa snubs US pro-gay priest

2007-01-11 21:21

Johannesburg - Africa's leading Anglican archbishops plan to snub their pro-gay rights United States (US) counterpart at a key summit next month as a bitter battle on homosexuality intensifies in a world church on the brink of division.

Several African leaders have blasted Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first woman to head the US Episcopal Church, for backing gay clergy and same-sex unions. They have urged Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams not to invite her to a global meeting of Anglican primates in Tanzania.

Williams, who admitted this week he was losing control of the divisive debate, insisted Schori meet her critics "face to face" but sought to appease traditionalists by inviting conservative US church leaders too.

The archbishops from Africa, home to more than half of the world's 77 million Anglicans, say they will stop short of an all-out boycott but cannot meet with Schori.

Kenyan Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi said he found it "difficult to share a meeting with somebody who is ... fighting what we believe Scripture is saying.

"There is dialogue, this can take place, but I think we have listened to one another enough," he said.

A spokesperson for Nigeria's Archbishop Peter Akinola, Africa's staunchest opponent of gay rights, said many primates - heads of member churches - were loathe to meet with Schori.

Struggling against schism

"How that can be done remains mere speculation," said Canon Akintunde Popoola. In an unprecedented move, several primates refused to take communion alongside Frank Griswold, Schori's predecessor, at their last meeting in February 2005.

"There will be a very high level of tension at the meeting in Tanzania," said Canon David Anderson, president of the orthodox American Anglican Council in Atlanta, Georgia.

Williams has been striving to avert division in the loose worldwide union of churches whose long-simmering tensions about homosexuality reached the boiling point with the appointment of openly gay US Bishop Gene Robinson in 2003.

The battle has pitted the small but powerful liberal US church against a traditionalist majority in developing countries, where archbishops have wielded more power since the Anglican Communion's centre of gravity shifted south.

Traditionalists say homosexuality is immoral and ordaining gays defies biblical commands, but liberals say Anglicanism tolerates diverse views. Several conservative US parishes have switched their allegiance to African primates.

South Africa supports Schori

Global primates narrowly avoided an outright split at their last meeting and tensions are running even higher this time around after the surprise election of Schori and refusal of the US church to condemn homosexuality.

Ugandan Archbishop Henry Orombi has not changed his position since primates from the Global South said in September they could not "sit together" with her, an aide confirmed.

Archbishop Benard Malango, leader of the Central African Province including Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, said: "We cannot be in communion with those who advocate ordination of gay bishops in our church."

The South African church, with its strong liberal tradition nurtured during the anti-apartheid struggle and financial links to the United States, is the continent's lone voice in support of Schori and urged unity to fight Aids and poverty.

"Reports of a boycott ... is like fiddling while Rome burns," said Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of southern Africa. "More importantly it goes against God's fundamental call for unity and reconciliation."

- Reuters