Gays row leaves Lambeth Conference in disarray

[23/07/98 - Madeleine Bunting, Religious Affairs Editor - Web - http://reports.guardian.co.uk/articles/1998/7/23/12472.html]

Hopes of preventing the issue of homosexuality splitting the Lambeth Conference of 735 Anglican bishops, meeting in Canterbury, were in tatters yesterday after an alliance of African and evangelical bishops forced organisers to cancel a presentation by lesbian and gay Christians. 

In a heated closed meeting on Tuesday night, the head of the section considering human sexuality, the Rt Rev Duncan Buchanan of Johannesburg was said to be "traumatised" and "shellshocked" by the "ferocity of the feelings" expressed in an opening debate on the subject. Homosexuality was likened to bestiality and child abuse.

A presentation led by the Rev Colin Coward, a gay London priest, and 20 lesbian and gay ordained and lay Christians was to have been made in the section's second meeting today, but opponents of further liberalisation voted by a two-thirds majority to cancel the 90 minute session arranged by the Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Rev Njongonkulu Ndungane.

"One African bishop said if we are going to talk to lesbians and gays, why don't we discuss bestiality and child abuse," said one of the section participants, the veteran gay rights campaigner, the Rt Rev Jack Spong, Bishop of Newark, New Jersey.

"The Third World bishops combined with the evangelical bishops could pass a negative resolution on homosexuality. There is a huge gap between bishops on this question. It was a very discouraging meeting. People felt it was impossible to bridge this enormous chasm," added Bishop Spong, who claims the backing of 88 bishops for a resolution supportive of the recognising homosexual rights in the Anglican Communion.

Mr Coward, of the gay and lesbian organisation, Changing Attitudes, remains hopeful that the presentation may take place next week. He had arranged for seven gays and lesbians to describe their experiences as Christians as well as a question and answer session.

He said: "Everyone knows there are strong divergent views but no one expected the group to rent itself apart so suddenly and so quickly. Bishop Buchanan was shell-shocked by the ferocity of the feelings and traumatised."

Bishops were to have been told in the presentation that "gay, lesbian and bisexual people are called by God to express their sexuality in loving, faithful and committed relationships" and that "same-sex orientation is a God-given reality for a large minority of people, not a sin or a sickness". Bishops were to be told to stop colluding in discrimination of gays and lesbians, and that they had to re-evaluate the Bible.

Richard Kirker, of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, claimed the latent and virulent homophobia in the Anglican Church had erupted into the open. These men have chosen not to listen. They are incapable of even meeting us halfway," he said.

Lesbian and gay campaigners are concerned that there has been a concerted attempt by opponents of homosexual rights to get a majority in this crucial section of 60 bishops to put the brakes on any initiative by the liberal wing. They are planning to highlight the issue today by wearing rainbow ribbon badges.

Many African bishops are dismissive of homosexuality, an issue which they consider trivial compared with international debt and relations with Islam. Conservative evangelicals from the US, Australia, Asia and England insist that the Bible forbids homosexuality.

Months of careful negotiation to secure a compromise that the issue should be referred to an international commission is now in danger of collapse.

But the Most Rev Richard Holloway, the Bishop of Edinburgh, a lesbian and gay rights campaigner who is hosting a reception for the Lesbian and Gay Christian movement tonight, was optimistic that the Anglican tradition of agreeing to disagree would prevail.