CHRISTIANS are being killed in Africa as a consequence of liberal attitudes towards homosexuality in the United States and Britain, the Archbishop of Canterbury suggested on Friday.
Speaking on LBC radio about his opposition to same-sex marriage, he
said: "I've stood by gravesides in Africa of a group of Christians who
had been attacked because of something that had happened far, far away
in America."
Good grief! I find the archbishop's words astonishing. Is Justin Welby
saying that Americans with "liberal attitudes" about gay sexuality are
complicit in murder?
Clarifying his comments on the
mass grave, he said: "What was said was that 'If we leave a
Christian community in this area' - I am quoting them - 'we will
all be made to become homosexual, so we are going to kill the
Christians.' The mass grave had 369 bodies in it, and I was
standing with the relatives. That burns itself into your soul - as
does the suffering of gay people in this country."
A deep tragedy, indeed and a sight surely never to be forgotten. Where was the mass grave? Do the murderers speak truthfully about the reason for the mass killing? Is it right to take the words of murderers on the reason for the killings and, on that basis, refuse justice and equality to the LGTB members of the Church of England?
"I was in the South Sudan a few
weeks ago and the church leaders there were saying: 'Please do not
change what you are doing because then we could not accept your
help. And we need your help desperately.' And we have to listen to
that."
I have news for the archbishop: Diocese to diocese and parish to parish relationships continue between Episcopal churches and African Anglican churches, despite the rants of homophobic African bishops about the practices of the Episcopal Church. Policies of justice and equality for LGTB Episcopalians have been implemented, even as TEC and African churches continue to work together. The ABC seems to think "bash the Americans" is good church policy. I don't know. Maybe it works for him.
"What was said was that 'If we leave a Christian community in this area' - I am quoting them - 'we will all be made to become homosexual, so we are going to kill the Christians.' The mass grave had 369 bodies in it, and I was standing with the relatives. That burns itself into your soul - as does the suffering of gay people in this country."
Why not lay the blame squarely where it belongs, on the murderers and leaders who pass and implement draconian laws that cause great suffering and even death for LGTB people in their countries? Why blame Americans with "liberal attitudes"?
Asked whether he could imagine
a day when two people of the same sex married in the Church of
England, he said: "I look at the scriptures, I look at the teaching
of the Church, I listen to Christians round the world, and I have
real hestitations [sic] about that. "
He added, however: "I am
incredibly uncomfortable about saying that. I really don't want to
say no to people who love each other, but you have to have a sense
of following what the teaching of the Church is. We can't just make
sudden changes."
"Sudden changes?" Where has he been for the last 20 years?
More from Archbishop Welby on the broadcast, which runs for nearly an hour.
Rev Welby’s callers included former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe, who asked him whether the Church does or does not approve of homosexuality. The Archbishop told her drily: “How unsurprised I am by that question, I can't imagine.
“I just said the Church is quite clear that sex outside marriage is wrong, and marriage has been understood as a man and woman. That seems to be a fairly clear statement.
“I'm not going to pull my punches on that. I think I'm right, you think I'm wrong. We differ.”
Where's the love in saying no to marriage or a blessing to two people of the same sex who love each other? Where's the love in saying to gay priests that they can never marry and must always remain celibate?
It seems to me that unless and until the office of Archbishop of
Canterbury is separate from the office of "primus inter pares" of the
Anglican Communion, LGTB members of the Church of England will continue
to be held hostage without justice and equality because of homophobic
attitudes of certain African bishops.