The Primate of Central Africa has strongly condemned the Church of England and the Episcopal Church of USA for their approval of same sex civil unions.
The Most Rev. Bernard Malango, criticised the Church of England for its new laws on civil unions, calling it another fault line in the Anglican Communion, reports Virtue Online.He said the English House of Bishops has “tried to walk a tightrope” in approving of civil partnerships between its gay clergy on the basis that they remain celibate.
Referring to ECUSA, Archbishop Malango said: “For a time the bishops and the General Convention said, 'Do not discriminate against orientation.' Then after a few years they said, 'it is not natural to ask people to deny acting on their orientation.' The same argument can be found in the Church of England situation.
"The Church of England is now saying 'let same sex couples have their civil unions if they don't have sex.' Before long they will say, 'how can we deny that sexual behaviour is a component of these relationships’?”
Meanwhile, Archbishop Malango praised the stance of the Roman Catholic Church in England for maintaining its opposition to gay civil partnerships.The Church of England is now saying 'let same sex couples have their civil unions if they don't have sex.' Before long they will say, 'how can we deny that sexual behaviour is a component of these relationships’?
Primate of Central Africa, Archbishop Bernard Malango
"They have said "no" to civil unions for their members and leaders. Why is the Church of England refusing to be as clear?,” he said.
Archbishop Malango also condemned ECUSA for its “arrogance” in pushing the same sex agenda. He said: “A relative handful of Western activists are saying, ‘we know better that twenty or thirty centuries of Judeo-Christian teaching and values.”
He said this development within ECUSA arose from its unwillingness to be accountable to the community, adding that ECUSA had an “unwillingness to see or care about the impact of their actions on the rest of the community”.
Archbishop Malango warned the clear mandate of the Archbishop of Canterbury “will be devastated” if the Church of England continues embrace same sex civil unions.“The implications of that are staggering,” he said. “It will seriously undermine our ability to reach people for Christ across the globe.”
He said that if the Church of England continues to embrace gay civil partnerships then Canterbury and its followers will “no longer be a global fellowship gathered around common teaching and belief”.
Archbishop Malango warned that if the drafting of a covenant on the shared faith and vision of the Communion fails, the Anglican Communion will fracture into a number of “sad fragments”.
