LAGOS, September 22, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Nigerian Anglican church has made a decision to break with the Anglican Communion world-wide over criticism of the world body’s tolerance and even blessing of same-sex “marriage,” and the ordination of homosexual clergy.
Archbishop Peter J. Akinola called the blessing of same-sex unions and ordination of gay clergy by Anglicans in the UK and North America a “Satanic attack” on the congregation. The Nigerian communion deleted from its Constitution all former references to “communion with the see of Canterbury,” replacing it with another provision of communion with all Anglican Churches, Dioceses and Provinces that hold and maintain the “Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacrament and Discipline of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.”
The Constitutional change also allowed the Nigerian Church to create parishes to cater to like-minded faithful outside Nigeria, such as the Convocation of Anglican Nigerians in Americas, (CANA) formed to give a worshiping refuge to thousands in the USA who no longer feel welcomed to worship in the Liberal churches especially with the recent theological innovations encouraging practices which the Nigerians recognize as sin.
In an earlier statement, the Archbishop wrote, “In the context of our part of the Church and society, we see [homosexuality] as a behaviour that is expressly forbidden and roundly condemned in scripture. Moreover, homosexuality is flagrant disobedience to God, which enables people to pervert God’s ordained sexual expression with the opposite sex. In this way, homosexuals have missed the mark; they have shown themselves to be trespassers of God’s divine laws.”
“The acceptance of homosexuality and lesbianism as normal is the triumph of disobedience; the enthronement of human pride over the will of God,” Akinola added. “This lifestyle is a terrible violation of the harmony of the eco-system of which mankind is a part. As we are rightly concerned by the depletion of the ozone layer, so should we be concerned by the practice of homosexuality.”
Meanwhile, Canadian Anglicans have stated that they will not change their pro-homosexual policy. Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, head of Canadian Anglicans, was quoted by Reuters stating, “One certainly can’t be encouraged by what we’re hearing from Nigeria.” He added: “I don’t know that there’s anything we can do about the church in Nigeria.”
See Reuters on Canadian Anglicans:
https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050921/wl_canada_nm/canada_religion_anglicans_canada_col;_ylt=AoLu6fvB1U2SsEnf8141bypp9L4F;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Anglican Church of England Will Allow Gay Clergy to “Marry”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/may/05053007.html
Nigerian Prelate Calls for Suspension of Church of England from Worldwide Anglican Communion
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/aug/05081501.html
Nigerian Anglican Bishop Threatens Schism Over Homosexual Agenda
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/jun/03062009.html
Homosexual U.S. Episcopal Elected
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/aug/03080505.html
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