wfn.org | (CPSA Synod)Bishop Buchanan shares 'most painful experience'

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa

 From the Media Team.

In moving an agenda item asking for study on
various documents on human sexuality, Bishop
Duncan Buchanan of Johannesburg shared what he
called his 'most painful moment in life' in
recalling the 'Christian uncharity' that was
evident at the Lambeth Conference 1998 relating
to homosexuals. Bishop Buchanan, who chaired the
sub-section on human sexuality at Canterbury,
said, 'This memory will be with me to my dying
day.'  He spoke of bursting into tears when he
returned to his wife in their campus room
following the initial brutal confrontations in
the sub-committee.  'I might burst into tears
now,' he said.

Speaking of Lambeth he said, 'I have never lived
through such Christian uncharity before.'  He
told how a painstaking report, worked on with
much effort from people of greatly differing
views over 11 days, was presented to the bishop
who 'brutalised the situation' with 'strong
language and abuse'. The Lambeth committee
document, which was accepted by the Lambeth
Conference, was passed unanimously. The final
resolution of Lambeth called for dialogue and
listening to homosexual persons, while stating
the only acceptable sexual relationship were
those of a married man and woman.  bishop said
that when people talk about human sexuality they
immediately turn to  issues around
homosexuality. 'We can disagree and argue but we
must love and respect each other,' the bishop
said.  He stressed that the 'churchÕs values
must be different than those of the world' and
that so much talk about sex leads to 'cheap and
ugly answers to human relationships'.
Homosexuality is an 'highly emotive' subject and
he warned we shouldnÕt 'jump into our
prejudices'.

The Revd Douglas Torr

A young priest, the Revd Douglas Torr, addressed
the Synod calling upon the assembly to reject
the motion as it did not go far enough. He said
aspects of the Archbishop's Letter and the
Lambeth Report and resolution were 'oppressive'.
The cleric said, 'I have learned from women and
blacks not to accept oppression.'  He also
shared with the Synod how painful the Lambeth
resolution is to gay Christians.  Bishop
Hamupembe and Bishop P H Hilukiluah, from
Namibia, voiced their support of the motion and
called on the synod members to be open to learn
from each other in all areas of church life.

The motion passed in the synod of nearly 300
with only 2 distinct 'no' votes. The documents
to be studied are: The Lambeth Report on
Sexuality, The Bishops' Letter of March 1997,
The Archbishop's Statement on Homosexuality,
November 1998 and the Theological Commission's
Document on Sexual Orientation.  The synod
motion also notes that these documents 'refer to
rejection of others on the grounds of sexual
orientation as being un-Christian and calls upon
all Christians to reject any fear of
homosexuality.'
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Item submitted by the CPSA Provincial Synod Media Team
Synod meeting in Durban, Diocese of Natal, South Africa

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