Resolutions backed by African bishops outrage Anglican liberals

[04/08/98 - Madeleine Bunting, Religious Affairs Editor - Web - http://reports.guardian.co.uk/articles/1998/8/4/14496.html]

Church faces row over 'obnoxious' line on gay sex 

The Lambeth Conference faces bitter controversy over homosexuality and euthanasia as it begins a final week of debating 30 resolutions drawn up in private discussions. 

An alliance of bishops from developing countries, particularly Africa, and conservative evangelicals from the developed world, have produced six resolutions condemning homosexuality.

The language used - homosexuals are called on to "repent" and homosexuality is described as in need of "correction" - will incense the liberal wing of the Anglican Church particularly in the UK, North America, Australia and New Zealand where there are significant numbers of ordained active homosexuals.

The resolutions, which also include one calling for peace and reconciliation in Rwanda, Sudan and Northern Uganda, reflect the power shift towards Africa in the global Anglican Communion which represents 70 million Christians.

The 735 bishops of the Anglican Communion meeting in Canterbury have produced more than 100 resolutions ranging from a call for the end of nuclear weapons and landmines to condemning violence against women and children and recognition of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

But it is the resolutions on homosexuality which are likely to dominate the end of the conference which is held once a decade.

"Ordained ministers must set a wholesome and credible example.

"Those persons who practise homosexuality and live in promiscuity, as well as those bishops who knowingly ordain them or encourage these practices, act contrary to the teaching of Scripture and the Church. We call on them to repent," says one resolution from a regional meeting of bishops from Central and Eastern Africa.

It goes on to urge "healing and correction" for "all those who suffer or err through homosexual or kinds of sexual brokenness".

A resolution from the West African region, including Nigeria, declares: "This conference stands on biblical authority and accepts that homosexuality is a sin which could only be adopted by the Church if it wanted to commit evangelical suicide."

The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement's spokesman, Richard Kirker, described the resolutions as "obnoxious, highly controversial and inflammatory".

Several bishops prominent in the campaign for gay rights such as Rt Rev Jack Spong, Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, may be prompted by the tone of the anti-homosexuality lobby to produce a minority statement criticising the conference's position.

The resolution on euthanasia will also disappoint liberals who have sought a more flexible position for the Church. The resolution rules out euthanasia as "neither compatible with Christian faith nor should be permitted in civil legislation".

The 60 bishops who have discussed euthanasia explicitly rejected the "dominance of the West" in the debate on the issue, and reiterated the traditional position that only God had sovereignty over life and death.

They conceded that terminating or withdrawing medical treatment was a legitmate individual choice but rejected any form of assisted killing. They ruled out legislation because it is "virtually impossible" to prevent "abuse by the unscrupulous".

Also to be debated are resolutions calling for urgent action to ease the burden of international debt on the developing world, and for the United Nations to set up a mediation council to assess levels of repayment of debt.

The resolutions are likely to be passed unanimously. Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, and senior members of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have addressed bishops considering the issue.

The conference will also be asked to consider resolutions calling for the Anglican Communion, a unique global body, to set up commissions to monitor environmental and technological change.

The communion is urged to consider the ethical issues surrounding cloning and cross-species genetic mutations.