Conservative Christians to challenge Tutu on homosexuality

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is to feature in on a BBC Radio 4 programme next week in which he will be challenged by a number of conservative Christians over his views on homosexuality.

Archbishop Tutu recently criticised the Anglican Communion for being "homophobic" and "obsessed with sexuality when he was interviewed by veteran reporter Michael Buerk, who has since invited more conservative Christians to respond to Tutu's views, reports Church Times.

The programme, "From Calvary to Lambeth", will be broadcast on Tuesday at 8:00pm.

Among the guests to the programme, which will be hosted by Buerk, are former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, the Rt Rev Robert Duncan Bishop of Pittsburgh, Stephen Green, Director of Christian Voice, Anne Widdecombe MP and Canon Chris Sugden of Anglican Mainstream.

Michael Buerk, who was the BBC correspondent in South Africa before the fall of apartheid, spoke of his experiences of Archbishop Tutu.

"I saw him denounce institutionalised injustice from scores of pulpits and platforms with soaring eloquence and - even in the darkest moments - impish humour. . . Every day, he stood up to a ruthless and desperate regime," he was quoted by Church Times as saying.

"His moral authority - inside and outside the Church - is unique. When he says his Church has lost its way, is obsessed with people's private lives rather than the great public issues of war and disease and oppression; that it is obeying fallible scripture rather than the divine priorities of Christ - the world listens."

Tutu said to Lord Carey that he was ashamed of the Church as long ago as the 1998 Lambeth Conference, believing that the Church had become homophobic . He has instead pleaded the case for an inclusive church which sees homosexuality as an orientation rather than a lifestyle choice. He also said in his interview with Buerk that if God was homophobic he would not worship him.

In the programme Lord Carey distinguishes between tolerating and approving of homosexuality.

The producer of the programme, David Coomes said "There was a report in The Sunday Telegraph saying Lord Carey and Tutu were at odds. There's an element of truth in that, but not the total truth."

Buerk pointed out the difference in the views of those being presented on the programme. He described Tutu as regarding the Bible as "a useful guide rather than a repository of unqualified truth". Whilst strong conservatives like Stephen Green view the Bible as "divinely inspired to such an extent that he would like to see its Scriptures incorporated into British law".

Archbishop Tutu is the patron of Changing Attitude (CA), which works for the inclusion of homosexuals in the Church. The director of CA England, the Rev Colin Coward gave a statement earlier this week after reports that pro gay bishops who would not accept the principles of the Windsor Report would have their invitations to the Lambeth Conference cancelled.

"There are a significant number of English bishops who quietly support LGBT people, contrary to the principles outlined in the Windsor report," Coward said on Monday, according to newspaper.

"Changing Attitude hopes that every bishop in the Anglican Communion will be invited to Lambeth, and will accept their invitation."

Buerk also spoke of Catholic MP Ann Widdecombe's view that "Tutu is blurring all the edges . . . between the sinner and the sin, between orientation and action - above all, between right and wrong".

She is also attributed with the belief that "Tutu's idea of what Christ is about is too simple by half", reports Church Times.