wfn.org | ACNS3679 Statement from the Bishops of the Anglican Church of

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3679     |     NIGERIA	|     21 NOVEMBER 2003 

Statement from the Bishops of the Anglican Church of Nigeria

An 8-paragraph communiqui, signed by the Primate of Nigeria, the Most Revd
Peter Akinola, on behalf of all the bishops, was issued at the end of a
meeting in Port Harcourt on 15 November. The full statement follows:

"The House of Bishops, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), met in July
2003, under the Divine Guidance of God and under the leadership of the
Archbishop, Primate and Metropolitan, Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Peter
Jasper Akinola, and proposed a resolution supporting all the actions he had
taken and others that he will take on the vexing issue of human sexuality as
it relates to homosexuality. 

"We bishops of the Church of Nigeria, on behalf of ourselves and over 17
million Anglicans in Nigeria, warned the Episcopal Church of the United
States of America (ECUSA) that we shall never support its intention to ordain
and consecrate an openly gay priest, Gene Robinson, into the episcopate. 

"Regrettably, our call and those of the over 80 per cent of the global
Anglican Church were disrespectfully ignored and the Anglican Church in
America went ahead to consecrate the said Gene Robinson on November 2, 2003.
By this unfortunate action, they have departed from the faith, order and
unity of the Anglican Church. They have impaired Communion. 

"We, bishops of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, meeting at St. Cyprian's
Church, Port Harcourt, on November 15, 2003 condemn in its totality this
consecration. We and our people will not recognize Gene Robinson and his
ministry as bishop. 

"We continue to stand solidly behind the leadership of the Church of Nigeria
in breaking relationship not only with the Diocese of New Hampshire but with
all the bishops and dioceses in ECUSA that have joined in this divisive and
unscriptural act. 

"We equally affirm our commitment to the decisions taken at our Theological
and Liturgical Conference held in Abuja in July, 2003. 

"We also renew our mandate that the Primate should continue to act on our
behalf as the cases of ordination or consecration of people who are openly
gay to holy orders emerge in any part of the Communion in the future. 

"We pledge our support and common commitment to the churches or dioceses in
ECUSA and other areas of the world that stand firm with the truth of the
Bible and maintain the Biblical faith, practice and order of the Anglican
Communion as handed over to us by the saints."

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