Ghana: Methodist Church Ghana Restates Position Against Lgbtq+

Protesting against discrimination. (file photo)

The Methodist Church Ghana has restated its stance against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and more (LGBTQI+) right saying "the church will not renege on its pastoral and social role to influence society positively."

The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Prof. PaulKwabenaBoafo, gave the declaration at the opening of the 5th Annual Synod and anniversary celebration of the Northern Accra Diocese at Adentan in Accra on Thursday.

The synod was on the theme: 'Discipleship: living the transformed life in Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2).

According to Most Rev.Boafo, the Methodist Church will not renege on its stance against the act, butwill still stand by her words that LGBTQI+ was not part of the church.

He said the church would continue to play its part in the national economy and advocacy role for the betterment of the country and the church at large.

"As the light, salt and yeast of society, the church will not renege on its pastoral and social role to influence society positively. Given the knowledge derived from natural law, that like poles repel and unlike poles attract, the fundamental laws of nature cannot be changed such that like poles will attract and unlike poles repel to suit whims and caprices," he added.

Christianity, he said, was a "highly and moralistic way of living in Christ, and fundamental to prophecy is the inseparableness of religion and morality which is the inescapable corollary of the Hebrew concept of God".

The Presiding Bishop indicated that the church reflects the moral character of God and His moral claims on the children of men, adding that "our culture as Ghanaians and Africans frowns on such practices and regards them as rather debasing".

The Diocesan Bishop, RtRev. Prof. Joseph M.Y Edusa-Eyisonin, in his address to the church, called on government to come to their aid on activities by some people in the GaSub-Urban Circuit over sand winning which continues to be a challenge to the church.

He said the persistence act"coupled with the attendant deterioration of the ecology and property calls for a louder voice and heavy hand in search of a permanent solution to the menace".

"Indeed, heavily armed land guards on the lands of Krokorshwe, Hobor and Kojo Ashong continue to be a significant concern. The church requests the support of the government, the police service and the traditional authorities to come to our aid and that of the communities'," he added.

The synod brought together ministers and past presiding Bishops, vice chancellors, justices of the superior court, government officials, parliamentarians, delegation from the Ghana Police Service and traditional authorities, among others.

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