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Anglicans face deep divisions
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- The consecration of an openly gay bishop in the United States left the world's 70 million Anglicans deeply divided into liberal and conservative camps on Monday. One church leader even accused the U.S. of "declaring independence" after Canon Gene Robinson was installed in New Hampshire on Sunday. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, battling to keep his disparate church together over the emotive issue, said the divisions were "a matter of deep regret." He said in a carefully worded statement that the effects of the consecration, particularly in the non-western world, have to be "confronted with honesty." But the reaction from bishops around the world showed what a struggle Williams faces holding the church together. From Australia to Africa, clergymen thundered in rage over Robinson's consecration. "As far as I am concerned, he is not a bishop," Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen told Reuters. "It is a very sad day for the church." In New Zealand, Wellington's Anglican Bishop Thomas Brown also expressed his opposition, agreeing with church resolutions that homosexual practice was "incompatible with scripture." From Africa, two starkly different voices were heard. Jackson Turyagyenda, Secretary of Namirembe Diocese, seat of the Church of Uganda, said: "We overwhelmingly condemn consecrating homosexuals in the church ministry. "We are also totally against homosexuality or anything contradicting Biblical teaching. There is no threat of a split in our church -- we are united against homosexuality." But retired Ugandan bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo repeated his support for the gay cause. "This consecration is God's way of making the church come to terms with homosexuality," he said. "Bishop Robinson did not elect himself, he was elected by others. To me it seems God inspired them to vote that way." (Nigerian clerics upset) Irish Anglican leader Robin Eames, appointed by Williams to head a commission tackling the thorny issue, pleaded for time and conceded: "It is a most intricate and complicated picture. We are moving into unknown territory." Eames, known in the church as the divine optimist for his positive approach, said Anglicans had conquered their divisions over the issue of women priests and could do so again over gays. Asked if the 450-year-old church now faced a split, he told BBC Radio: "I don't think you can prevent a re-alignment. I sincerely hope we can prevent what you call a split." Robinson's election followed a decision in May by Canadian Anglicans to sanction same-sex unions in direct contravention of church policy on sexuality. That policy, agreed at the Lambeth Conference of 1998, clearly states that the Anglican communion cannot support "the legitimizing or blessing of same-sex unions or ordaining those involved in same-sex unions." Archbishop Greg Venables, the Anglican leader in South America, highlighted the contrasts between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches over discipline. "We are facing a serious situation of division. The problem is we don't have a Pope or a central committee to resolve it for us," he told BBC Television. "We have an Archbishop of Canterbury, but he is a leader in England with moral authority throughout the world but he has no vertical authority," he said. "What's happened is that the United States have declared independence." Copyright 2003 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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