The archbishops of Canterbury and York have written to Anglican church leaders in Africa and the presidents of Nigeria and Uganda to criticise new laws criminalising homosexuality.
Justin Welby, the leader of the world’s Anglicans, and John Sentamu, second in rank to Welby, said in the letter on Thursday that “victimisation or diminishment of human beings… is anathema” to the Church of England and that it was committed to “pastoral support and care of gay people”.
Nigeria enacted a law outlawing homosexuality this month, while Uganda’s parliament has passed an anti-homosexuality bill that still awaits endorsement by the president before it becomes law.
“We wish to make it quite clear that in our discussion and assessment of moral appropriateness of specific human behaviours, we continue unreservedly to be committed to the pastoral support and care of homosexual people,” the prelates wrote.
“The victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us. We assure homosexual people that they are children of God, loved and valued by Him and deserving the best we can give – pastoral care and friendship.”
The letter, published on the Church of England’s website, comes days after an African-led traditionalist group opposed to growing acceptance of homosexuality in the worldwide Anglican Communion rejected a Church of England plea to review its Bible-based condemnation of gays.
Kenyan Archbishop Eliud Wabukala, chairman of the group, said it was “deeply troubling” that Anglicanism’s mother church was trying to project a British debate about “that which God calls sin” onto world Anglicanism.
“We cannot … allow our time and energy to be sapped by debating that which God has already clearly revealed in Scripture,” said Wabukala, chairman of the primates’ council of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
“Such dialogue only spreads confusion and opens the door to a false gospel,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Be thou holy as our God is holy. Jesus is coming soon.
ARCHBISHOP, should we rather obey you or The Lord Almighty? You are a big disgrace to the body of Christ. All you ever care about is gay rights and you have kept quite of the senseless killings by boko haram etc. Was any of you archbishops concieved & born by a gay couple? STAY FROM AFRICA!
Bishop go to hell nd burn to ash, anti-christ, gay, live Africa alone!!!!
Bishop please mine ur country
4 crying out loud, Archbishop leave Africans alone. We cannot absorb all ur development. We Africans reject gays or lesbians in our country cos its a shameful and barbaric act in d site of God and dat of man. Please leave us alone.
bishop u are a big disgrace am sori for u.u guys should live Nigeria we are not children of Satan.we love Jesus
He should read his bible very well. I warn Nigerians , “be ware of white painted sepulcher” . Most of these men do not have a calling from God rather they were called or chosen by men. Homosexual will ever remain an abomination according to the word of God. David said in psalm 139, Lord I hate whatever you hate, what you love I love ,your enemies have come my enemies. So let them declare where they belong otherwise let them hold their peace and allow Africa to worship there God.
He is just but confuse so I see him,let’s talk another tin pls.
The word of God says,”not all that called me lord,lord will enter the kingdom of God”.
Am gay and hve been accepted b the body of christ. Its a free S.A U r alowed to be who u want to be. I the openbaring speaks abou these thngs thats goin to happen. Our world has no identification but we as gay has just like ppl thinkin 2 hv a straigth relationship. Hve u seen how a str8 man left his wife for a gay guy? Why? We r born this way. Suck on tht.