The Ugandan Church, along with others in Africa, long broke its ties with Anglicans in North America over the issue of gay ordinations and same-sex blessings for marriage.
Following the visit of Archbishop Justin Portal Welby, the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury and the most senior bishop in the Church of England to Uganda this week, UK media houses have once again revived the Church leader’s differences on the “LGBT agenda in Church”.
The BBC reported Thursday; “Unity and division as Justin Welby visits Africa.” The UK based Broadcasting Corporation told its readers that Archbishop Justin Portal Welby trip to Africa highlights divisions within the Church of England over same-sex relationships.
As UG Christian News reported today, throughout his visit, Mr Welby has been accompanied by the Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Reverend Stanley Ntagali.
No report has surfaced on whether the two have hinted on the matter but, it must be noted that Archbishop Ntagali was grieved by the American Episcopal Church’s decision to endorse same-sex relationships and walked out of a global gathering of archbishops in Canterbury last year.
He issued a statement saying that he would not be returning until “godly order” had been restored and the Bible returned to what he said is its rightful place “as the authority for our faith and morals”.
Since then, the Canadian and Scottish Episcopal Churches have formally voted to endorse same-sex marriage.
Mr Ntagali says the Bible teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman – and that the growing Ugandan church will not remain in fellowship with those who support same-sex unions.
The next gathering of archbishops will again take place in Canterbury, this coming October. But Mr Ntagali reportedly wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury explaining that he will not be attending.
While Mr Welby respects the assertion of strong theological views, he believes that the church should not be split by issues that are not, in his words, “creedal”, that is, not directly related to the creed of the church.
In his first interview with a gay publication, the Most Rev Justin Welby, told PinkNews that the Church had to accept that same-sex marriage is now the law in England and Wales after securing overwhelming support in Parliament.
He said it was “right and proper” that same-sex marriage has now come into force, adding: “And that’s great.”
“It is a constant source of deep sadness,” he explained after Mr Ntagali walked out of last year’s primates meeting, “that people are persecuted because of their sexuality”. But he also said, “It is not for us to divide the Body of Christ.”
editor@ugchristiannews.com
