African Church Information Service
Osman Njuguna
29 September 2003
Nairobi — Controversy surrounding the Anglican Church over homosexuality issues will not divide the Anglican community in Africa, according to Anglican bishops meeting here last week.
The just-elected chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA), Most Rev Peter Akinola, said on September 25 that "on the contrary, it will strengthen us."
The Nigerian archbishop, who was addressing a press conference here at the end of the Ninth Conference of CAPA (September 23-25), however cautioned that "discussions on the issue should be God-driven".
"We should try to avoid humanness to prevail, while calling upon God's guidance to lead us," he stressed.
Delegates to the Nairobi conference, numbering more than 50 and including primates, bishops, pastors and the laity from Great Britain, USA and Canada, also elected Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje of Rwanda as CAPA's vice-chairman, and Kenyan John Muhoho Kimani as treasurer.
The Nairobi conference reaffirmed that the stand of the African Anglican bishops on human sexuality was guided by the teaching of scripture.
"The whole subject of morality, faith and order has been taken up by the primates who have expressed concern that it should be addressed according to the will of God," stressed a press statement.
It added that the point of reference has been the 1998 Lambeth resolution concerning human sexuality, in particular, the blessing of the same sex unions, and the ordination of those involved in the activity. The resolutions are opposed such activity.
Meanwhile, the Anglican bishops in Africa will be holding an All Africa Conference on the theme, Africa Comes Of Age: An Anglican Self-Evaluation, in Lagos, Nigeria next year (October 26-31).
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