Akinola Rejects U.S. Bishops' Move On Gay

This Day (Lagos)

NEWS
28 September 2007
Posted to the web 28 September 2007
Lagos

Peter Akinola, Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), yesterday rejected assurances by U.S. Anglican Bishops to halt ordination of gay bishops.

The bishops recently met in New Orleans, U.S., pledging not to authorise same-sex union, in a bid to restore unity in the Anglican communion.

Akinola described the assurances as "not a whole-hearted embrace of traditional Christian teaching. Instead of the change of heart (repentance) we sought, what we were offered was a mere temporary adjustment," he said in a statement.

A fortnight ago, Akinola wrote the Archbishop of Canterbury, asking him to postpone Lambeth 2008, a once-a-decade meeting for all Anglican bishops the world over, due to alleged intransigence of U.S. bishops on the issue.

Akinola said the latest response was a calculated attempt to win support and make protesting bishops attend Lambeth.

The Church of Nigeria, has the largest congregation in the Anglican communion worldwide. Its 126 bishops had threatened to pull out of Lambeth, if Episcopal bishops, who support homo sexuality were invited to the meeting.

In a bid to save its members in the U.S. from churches who support homosexuality, Akinola floated a branch to cater for them.

The branch known as Convocation ofAnglican in North America (CANA) willconsecrate additional four bishops thisDecember, a move that will certainlyinfuriate the Americans.
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allAfrica.com