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One African bishop
on the new American bishop |
Press Statement issued by Anglican
Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane regarding the election of gay bishops in the
worldwide Anglican Communion
[8-6-03]
5th August 2003, 09h00
1. The election of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire has been
confirmed by the House of Deputies in the Episcopal church in the USA. This
is the first time that a gay man, living in a committed relationship with
his partner has been elected a bishop in the Anglican Communion and it has
come about through a democratic and transparent process as laid down in the
rules and procedures governing the election of bishops in the Episcopal
(Anglican) church in the United States. The next step in the process,
confirmation of his appointment by the bishops, has been delayed because of
last minute accusations against him. This has been a bitter battle which has
little to do with a personality and much to do with homosexuality and I
believe that whatever the outcome, we must honour the integrity of the
process.
2. The election has generated a lot of interest in both church circles and
the secular press. It has, for example, given rise to statements by the
Roman Catholic Church setting out its opposition to homosexual unions.
3. It needs to be said at the outset that for many the debate is not a
matter of faith and doctrine, but a question of church order.
4. Questions are now being asked whether a similar situation may arise in
the Anglican Church in Southern Africa (CPSA). The position at present is
that any person, male or female, who is ordained a priest in the Anglican
Church is eligible for election as a bishop. The sexual orientation of a
person is not relevant. However, the CPSA requires that homosexual clergy
live celibate lives.
5. For some time now the CPSA has been on a journey in which the leadership
is seeking to listen to the voices of gay and lesbian people, as they
reflect on their lives and their experiences as homosexual Christians.
6. I was deeply moved by the testimony offered by one of Gene Robinson's two
daughters, in which she said rumours that her father had left her mother for
a male partner were both untrue and deeply hurtful. She read a statement
from her mother who told how she and Gene had spent many sad years trying to
hold the marriage together after he had realized that he was gay. She urged
the convention to approve his appointment because he would draw many more
people to the church than would leave it because of his sexuality. Gene's
daughter added that her father's partner, Mark Andrews, had proved an
amazing addition to an unusual family full of love.
7. During the recent debates surrounding the election of Canon Gene
Robinson, the primates of several provinces in the Anglican Communion have
threatened a split, should Canon Robinson's election be confirmed. With
respect, this is not a helpful approach.
Dialogue, listening, sharing stories and experiences are the ways to
understanding the complexities of our humanity. Adopting a hard-line stance
does nothing to enhance church unity, which is, we understand, the desire of
Christ for the church. The way of Jesus, on the other hand, seems to have
been to listen and talk and include, rather than refuse to listen and
exclude people. Indeed those deemed "other" in Jesus' own day were the very
people Jesus seems to have sought out and included in his circle - women,
lepers, Samaritans, tax collectors and other so-called undesirables were
those to whom he showed love.
8. The Anglican Communion differs from the Roman Catholic church in that our
communion is a federation of self-governing provinces. There is no
centralised authority. This means that conversation and searching for ways
of holding together bind us as a community. These bonds have been tested
before, for example with the ordination of women in some parts of the
Anglican Communion. They are presently being tested as some provinces in the
communion still refuse to ordain women; others ordain women but do not
permit the election of woman bishops. Still other provinces are wishing to
proceed with lay presidency at the Eucharist. (i.e. that people not ordained
as priests should celebrate the Communion Service.) Splitting off and
dividing the communion over these questions of church order is, in my view,
most unfortunate. It threatens to deprive the church of one of its most
prized characteristics, namely its broad diversity in which there is great
richness.
9. Human sexuality and identity are complex questions, which have only
partly been explored and understood. There is so much more we need to try
and understand. One of the ways of attempting to reach understanding is to
listen to each other with respect and afford one another the recognition
that every person is created in God's image - no matter what their
worldview, sexual orientation, race, gender or creed.
+ NjongonkuluNjongonkulu Ndungane
E-mail: archbish@iafrica.com
August 2003
Issued by Tulleken & Associates on behalf of Archbishop Ndungane.
E-mail:
tulleken@iafrica.com
Thanks to an invaluable source of Christian
perspectives from South Africa:
e-PRAXIS
Rev. Gary S D Leonard
PRAXIS Trust, Durban, South Africa
E-mail: teologie@union.org.za
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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Plan now for our 2010 Ghost Ranch
Seminar!
GHOST RANCH SEMINAR
July 26-August 1, 2010
WE’RE ALL IN
THIS TOGETHER
CONFRONTING THE STRUCTURES OF INJUSTICE |
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