wfn.org | ACNS3522 Anglican leaders raise concerns regarding human

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

ACNS 3522     |     USA     |	  24 JULY 2003 

Anglican leaders raise concerns regarding human sexuality; Archbishop of
Cape Town responds 

by Matthew Davies

A gathering of over 60 worldwide Anglican leaders held a press
conference yesterday at Truro Episcopal Church, Fairfax, Virginia (a
suburb of Washington, DC), to raise awareness of their concerns
regarding issues of human sexuality in the Episcopal Church and Anglican
Communion.

Their discussions particularly focussed on the upcoming General
Convention of the Episcopal Church, USA, where it may be decided to
confirm the election of Canon Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man to
be elected bishop in the Anglican Communion. The other chief concern is
that the triennial Convention may vote to approve the blessing of
same-sex unions.

Participants at the gathering included Anglican Primates and
Archbishops, US Episcopal bishops and international Anglican bishops,
clergy and laypersons.

Archbishops Peter Akinola of Nigeria, Bernard Malango of Central Africa,
Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Yong Ping Chung of South East Asia and Peter
Jensen of Sydney, Australia, wrote a letter to the Primates of the
Global South asking that they confirm their agreement with a statement
that they had drafted. The text of the statement read:

"We, primates of the global south of the Anglican Communion wish to
indicate to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church of the USA
that, should the Convention decide to confirm the election of Canon Gene
Robinson as bishop or approve the blessing of same-sex unions or both,
then we will convene within three months to confirm our view that ECUSA
has thereby placed itself outside the boundaries of the Anglican
Communion and that appropriate action will follow."

The Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Ndungane Njongonkulu, has
responded to the request expressing that he "cannot in conscience and
faith agree to support this draft statement".

"I believe that it is wrong and contrary to our Anglican Tradition and
understanding of Canon Law to presume to interfere in the affairs of
another Province," he said. "Such actions are a major threat to the
fabric of our Communion. Let us respect the integrity of each Province."

Archbishop Ndungane was keen to proclaim that the Anglican Communion is
bound together by shared links with the See of Canterbury and that "it
would be profoundly inappropriate for any Province or any group of
Provinces to presume to take on a role which properly belongs to the See
of Canterbury, and with the whole Communion acting with the See of
Canterbury." 

"We need to approach each other with the love of Christ," he said. "We
need to recognise that there are those who love our Lord on both sides
of this difficult debate around human sexuality." 

At the end of the statement the Archbishop said, "I would therefore
plead with you my brothers to draw back from the way envisaged by the
draft statement, and rather seek other ways of addressing our
differences in the Body of Christ."

___________________________________________________________________
ACNSlist, published by Anglican Communion News Service, London, is
distributed to more than 6,000 journalists and other readers around
the world.  For subscription information please go to:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/acnslist.html