In Denying Rights in Nigeria the New York Times today expresses its editorial opinion, starting this way :
A poisonous piece of legislation is quickly making its way through the Nigerian National Assembly. Billed as an anti-gay-marriage act, it is a far-reaching assault on basic rights of association, assembly and expression. Chillingly, the legislation — proposed last year by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo — has the full and enthusiastic support of the leader of Nigeria’s powerful Anglican church. Unless the international community speaks out quickly and forcefully against the bill, it is almost certain to become law…
Update
Matt Thompson reports Passage still imminent.
The UK government today published the draft text of The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.
The government press release is here: New protections for lesbian, gay and bi-sexual people come into force in April. Part of the press release says:
The regulations and consultation response published today reconfirms the Government’s position set out on 29 January on faith based adoption and fostering agencies. As the Prime Minister said, the Government believes there is no place in society for discrimination but that in the interests of vulnerable children, the regulations will provide for a transition period for faith based adoption and fostering agencies until the end of 2008.
The Regulations will be applicable to a wide range of activities. For instance it would be unlawful to:
- Refuse a same sex couple a double room in a hotel because this might cause offence to other customers;
- Refuse to provide a gift registration service for couples planning a civil partnership where such a service was offered to couples planning a wedding;
- Refuse admission to a bar because someone was not gay;
- Refuse a child’s admission to a school on the grounds of either their or their parents’ sexual orientation;
- Refuse membership of a sports club to an individual on the grounds of their sexual orientation.
The Regulations will now go before both Houses for debate and, subject to Parliamentary approval, come into force on 30 April 2007 the same time as Part 2 of the Equality Act.
Part 2 provides parallel protection against discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of people’s religion or belief.
The wording of Regulation 14 which provides the principal exemptions relating to religious organisations is reproduced in full below the fold. I will provide a further analysis of the religious exemption aspects of this draft soon. The text of the regulation is © Crown Copyright 2007.
39 CommentsSome items about the recent primates meeting.
Changing Attitude Scotland has issued this statement.
The Living Church had a lengthy report some time ago (but General Synod distracted me) from George Conger which is titled News Analysis: Behind the Scenes in Dar es Salaam. This contains a lot of background information about what went on. Well worth a read.
Andrew Brown, writing in the Church Times last week, criticised Rowan Williams for the “trick of selective quotation” in the article he had written for the Telegraph
…Something like that is present in Dr Williams’s article in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday. “One of the hardest things in all this has been to keep insisting on the absolute moral imperative of combating bigotry and violence against gay people, and the need to secure appropriate civic and legal protection for couples who have chosen to share their lives.”
Who is he trying to fool with this? Is he really describing the policy of the Nigerian Church? Or the Rwandan? There is a great deal that is subtle and illuminating in his article, but none of that portion describes the way that things are actually done, or discussed among the Primates, if we are to judge from the reports of others present at these meetings.
In a similar way, his article says that: “The suggestion of a structure in America to care for the minority tries to remove any need for external intervention.” This could only appear true if you knew nothing of the politics surrounding it.
But there is this uneasy nagging fear that, like a journalist, Dr Williams believes this stuff while he is writing it. I can’t honestly see what other motive he might have for saying it. Obviously, he knows as well as anyone else that Dr Jefferts Schori cannot satisfy her enemies within and outside the United States, and that every test she passes will be replaced by one that is harder.
The New York Times published this op-ed article, A Divorce the Church Should Smile Upon by Jack Miles.
World Magazine published Showdown in Africa by Edward Plowman:
23 CommentsThe primates discussed a number of topics but spent almost the entire final day on matters related to TEC. The global south kept hammering away for stronger, more specific language in the communiqué, and defending their interventions on TEC soil in America on behalf of parishes seeking refuge from TEC.
The primates finally adjourned as midnight approached. Akinola was the last to sign the document.
“It was the most intense meeting I have ever attended,” Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi of Uganda said afterward. “Even until the last night of our meeting, we were in a deadlock. But, the Lord has prevailed. Biblical authority is being restored, and from that, we are hopeful that biblical mission will be the result.”
“We came very close to separation over this,” said the global south’s Archbishop Gregory Venables, primate of the Southern Cone in South America.
Separation indeed. In Akinola’s briefcase was a signed statement by global south primates, ready to be released as a minority report with the communiqué if it had not been strengthened, according to several sources. It also would have signaled a breakup of the communion, they added.
There are several press releases from the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) telling us about the twenty new bishops all consecrated in one service last Sunday, and the further election of another six.
See: Challenges of missionary dioceses:, and Buildup to unprecedented consecration service: and Six more bishops elected: and last but by no means least, House of Bishop’s statement on CANA, Primates’ meeting:.
This last includes the following:
We also heard a report from the Bishop of CANA, the Rt. Rev’d Martyn Minns, on the growth of the ministry in the USA and pledged our enthusiastic support for this vital mission initiative of our Church. We welcomed the news that the Rt. Rev’d David Bena, recently retired Suffragen Bishop of Albany, has now transferred to the Church of Nigeria to assist with the work of CANA.
In light of the report from the recent meeting of Primates in Dar es Salaam we agreed to defer the request for additional Episcopal elections for CANA until our meeting in September 2007.
The House of Bishops expressed profound gratitude to Archbishop Peter J. Akinola and his colleagues in the Global South for the strong stand taken at the meeting, together with the gracious leadership of Archbishop Rowan Williams, and continue to pray that the Anglican Communion can move forward in truth and unity.
There is more detail about this from the Diocese of Albany (h/t BB).
Sarah Dylan Breuer has commented on this timescale for returning to the issue of more bishops for CANA.
2 CommentsThe website Religious Intelligence has republished from the Church of England Newspaper a column with this title written by Stephen Bates.
So there we were, sitting round the hotel swimming pool in Tanzania, doorstepping the Primates’ Meeting, as one does, and waiting for the regular appearance of Archbishop Akinola, inconspicuously dressed in full Nigerian costume on one of his discreet forays to consult with Bishop Martyn Minns in an upper chamber, when the conversation turned to the question of primatial vicars…
You gotta read it all.
12 CommentsThe full text of a Pastoral Letter sent to the Primates of the Anglican Communion can be found in a press release from Lambeth Palace titled Archbishop – Communion challenges require ‘generosity and patience’.
49 CommentsUpdated again Monday afternoon
Voice of America has this: US, Nigerian Anglicans Seek New Solutions for Same Sex Unions and Gay Ordination.
It includes an interview with Kendall Harmon (audio just under 5 minutes).
…As for this week’s indications that Nigerian legislators plan to criminalize same sex relationships and all promotion of a homosexual lifestyle, Canon Harmon says he hopes the Nigerian diocese and its leaders will strike a balance that respects the region’s cultural history and the personal rights and freedoms of Nigerian citizens.
“Nigeria is closely divided between Islam and Christianity. So you have Sharia law in the minds of a lot of legislatures. From an American perspective, it looks very, very punitive relative to American legislation. So I think the hard part is the degree to which the Church can push back in a compassionate way and still try to uphold the teaching of the Church in a society where Islam and Christianity are competing strongly,” he said…
Matt Thompson has responded with Canon Harmon drops the “Shar’iya” bomb and Kendall Harmon has written Matt Thompson Criticizes Kendall Harmon about an Interview.
Update
Matt Thompson has posted further: Clarification on the “Shar’iya” bomb and also republished the text of the draft legislation.
Monday morning
Matt Thompson has published a further item Apologies. See also in the Comments below.
Monday afternoon
Matt Thompson has posted From the comments: Ephraim Radner and highlighted what Ephraim Radner wrote only last night.
The Archbishop of Wales delivered a lecture in Cork. There was a news report about this.
Read the original press release, and the full text of the lecture as a PDF file at “Scripture and Sexuality – our commitment to listening and learning”.
14 CommentsThe Episcopal Church’s Executive Council met last week in Portland, Oregon. Unlike the Archbishops’ Council, its proceedings are conducted largely in public view.
It issued this Letter to the Church.
Further ENS reports of its actions are Executive Council approves 2007 budget, adopts resolutions on mission, ministry and Executive Council letter affirms Episcopal Church’s welcome to all people.
Living Church reports are Council Considers Proposals to Address Anticipated $3.8 Million Deficit , Development and Marketing Plan Presented to Council, and Task Forces to Study Anglican Communion Concerns .
Addition Also Executive Council Seeks to Reassure Homosexual Episcopalians
The sermon delivered by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori yesterday can be found here. ENS news article here.
3 CommentsJonathan Petre has blogged some reflections at Dust settling on the Synod.
Bishop Nazir-Ali of Rochester wrote this article for the Sunday Telegraph: I believe in Trident, and using it if necessary.
Anglican Mainstream published the text of the intervention by Chris Sugden in the debate on the Gilbert motion. AM had this comment on the debate:
The danger is that this can be taken to mean that lesbian and gay Christians are welcome as full members of the church, whatever their behaviour and practice.
AM also reported on the scripture reading used at synod on Thursday morning, saying rather oddly: “the following scripture, chosen some time beforehand, was read at the opening Morning Worship” when in fact it came from the authorized Weekday Lectionary of the Church of England, so “chosen” by the General Synod itself.
As previously noted, AM published the text of Paul Perkin’s remarks on Wednesday afternoon.
The Observer carried this leader comment yesterday on the media debate.
Additions
Two items from Sunday’s radio programme Sunday now available:
Trident
“Morally unacceptable” said the Archbishop of Canterbury at Synod this week, talking of the Trident nuclear weapons system the Government wants to buy. “Morally acceptable” said one of his Bishops, Michael Nazir Ali of Rochester, in the Sunday Telegraph. And he said a preemptive strike against Iran could also be justified.
Bishop Michael was unavailable for comment. The Bishop of Reading, Stephen Cottrell, who on Friday is going to celebrate Holy Communion outside Faslane Naval base to protest Trident, spoke to Sunday.
Related link: The ethics of Just Wars
Listen (5m 8s)
Synod and sex in entertainment
19 CommentsThe Synod of the Church of England voted unanimously to express concerns over TV standards and warned that shows like Big Brother and Little Britain can “exploit the humiliation of human beings for public entertainment”.
The Synod also heard claims that the British Board of Film Classification was “making pornography easier to access by giving hardcore material 18 certificates”.
The former President of the Board, Andreas Whittam Smith, who passed two of the most sexually explicit and violent films, is a Synod member.
Listen (4m 2s)
Artistic genius has nothing to do with faith – it’s down to God’s profligacy says Stephen Hough in The Times.
The Times also prints an extract from A Heart in My Head: A Biography of Richard Harries by John S. Peart-Binns under the title Inside track on the road to Anglican schism.
Alex Wright writes about images of God in the Guardian’s Face to Faith column.
In the Telegraph Christopher Howse writes about the history of the church in Leicester Square, in Delivered from the Prince of Wales.
This week’s Church Times column by Giles Fraser is What’s right with risk.
In the Tablet, Terry Prendergast writes about marriage, in The best chance to grow.
Over at Comment is free Theo Hobson wrote Mass Exodus in reply to last week’s column by David Self.
10 CommentsFirst, Andrew McClintock lost his Employment Tribunal case.
Sheffield Star Gay adoption row magistrate ‘was wrong’
BBC Magistrate in gay adoption defeat
Second, the Joint Committee on Human Rights of the UK Parliament published a report: Legislative Scrutiny: Sexual Orientation Regulations which is available on the web starting here. A PDF version of the document is here.
From the committee’s press release:
Regulations under Part 3 of the Equality Act prohibiting discrimination and harassment on grounds of sexual orientation are expected to be made soon for Great Britain. In light of the consultation held last year by the Government on these regulations, and the equivalent Northern Ireland Regulations which have already come into effect, the Committee in this “post-legislative scrutiny” Report sets out the human rights issues likely to arise in relation to the Great Britain regulations.
The report’s own Summary is here.
The Lawyers Christian Fellowship is upset over both these developments. Anglican Mainstream has their material, here, and here.
The Evangelical Alliance is also upset about Mr McClintock.
40 CommentsChanging Attitude has published this press release: Changing Attitude England challenges Primate of All Nigeria to protect Davis Mac-Iyalla. It says in part:
36 Comments…Changing Attitude England and Nigeria challenge the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Revd Peter Akinola, and the CANA bishop in the USA, the Rt Revd Martyn Minns, to issue a statement denouncing those church members who are threatening violence. We ask both the Archbishop and Bishop to unreservedly demand protection for Mr Mac-Iyalla and confirm the sanctity of all human life, whatever a person’s sexual orientation, in conformity with the Lambeth Conference 1998 Resolution 1.10 and paragraph 146 of the Windsor report which states that ‘any demonising of homosexual persons, or their ill treatment, is totally against Christian charity and basic principles of pastoral care.’
The Revd Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude England, said:
“Ii is intolerable that no Nigerian Bishop or Archbishop has issued a statement condemning the threats of violence and intimidation against Mr Mac-Iyalla. By their silence, they are tacitly showing approval for those members of the Church of Nigeria who believe they have the blessing of their church to abuse another Anglican and threaten to commit murder by drenching him in acid.”
“Both Archbishop Akinola and Bishop Martyn Minns are now implicated in the deep and destructive prejudice shown towards lesbian and gay people in Nigeria, characterised by the threats against Davis Mac-Iyalla and the Church of Nigeria‘s support for the proposed anti-gay legislation.“
“In Dar Es Salaam, in front of Canon David Anderson and Canon Chris Sugden, I asked Bishop Minns to contact Canon Akintunde Popoola and tell him to cease issuing lies and false statements about Davis. These statements have encouraged Nigerian church members to visit Mr Mac-Iyalla and threaten him with death. I have not yet received confirmation from Bishop Minns that he has done this, nor that such assurances have been given.”
“Time is now urgent. Mr Mac-Iyalla has been forced into hiding yet again. The Primatial and Episcopal leaders of the Church of Nigeria are acting with blind disregard for the safety of one of their own church members. They are deliberately supporting a bill which contravenes basic human rights and justice and renders the listening process impossible in Nigeria.”
Anglo-catholics affirm dignity of difference
Members of Affirming Catholicism made a series of influential contributions to the Church of England General Synod this week, helping the body move in a more progressive direction without alienating conservative sensitivities.
In an agenda which included key debates on the replacement of Trident (the UK nuclear deterrent), lesbian and gay Christians and criminal justice, speakers prompted Synod to consider the plight of those who were marginalised in the Church or society.
Mr John Ward, a lay member of Synod, spoke movingly on the place of lesbian and gay people in the Church during a debate sparked by a motion from fellow Affirming Catholic, the Rev’d Mary Gilbert. His speech, which focussed on his own experience as a gay Christian in the Church, received sustained applause from Synod members who eventually passed an amended motion affirming the integrity of divergent views on the issue in the Church, and committing the Church to keep dialogue going.
Speaking of the debate, Mr Ward said:
Being an Anglican means learning to live respectfully with difference. I feel encouraged by the affirmation many have given to me as a gay man this week, and I am hopeful that continued gracious dialogue will allow Church members ultimately to reconcile their differences.
In a debate on the criminal justice system Synod members backed a report urging the Government to invest more resources in preventing crime and rehabilitating offenders, many of whom suffer from social disadvantage or mental health problems. Mary Johnston, a lay member of Synod and a Trustee of Affirming Catholicism, spoke of her own recent experience as a victim of crime and called on the Church to consider especially the terrible impact of violent crime for the families and friends of both victims and offenders.
Summing up the week, the Rev’d Jonathan Clark, acting Chair of Affirming Catholics in Synod, said:
16 CommentsA Catholic vision of the gospel emphasises the dignity of humanity. I’m delighted that Affirming Catholics have played an important part in helping Synod reconcile its own differences as well as focus on the need to welcome and support those whom society has traditionally excluded.
Press Release 2 March 2007
A good day for the Church of England. A bad time for the Church of Nigeria
Members of the General Synod are to be congratulated on the tone and quality of the debates on Wednesday 28th February. In the first substantial debates on issues around human sexuality since the infamous “Higton debate” in 1987, contributions from all positions were characterised by honesty, charity and generosity.
InclusiveChurch hopes that the debates reflect a new understanding and respect for differing theological positions about lesbian and gay people within and outside the Church. We hope too that this new understanding will bring about a greater sense of cohesion between different parts of the Church so that we can now better preach and show the gospel of Christ’s love to those we serve.
John Ward, a member of General Synod and chair of the General Synod Human Sexuality Group, said ‘There are no winners or losers. I am delighted that we can now be in dialogue without fear and that lesbian and gay Christians are affirmed as full members of the Church. I believe that through prayer and communication something changed yesterday in Synod’
As a Church we are once again called to “to engage in an open, full and Godly dialogue about human sexuality…and acknowledge the importance of lesbian and gay members of the Church of England participating in the listening process as full members of the Church.” We hope that process of dialogue will include prayer, together, by people with differing understandings of the issues. Those of us who support a more inclusive position do this with deep respect and love for the word of God in the Bible. That love must be at the heart of the listening process so that all sides can engage with trust and confidence.
The motion on Civil Partnerships was amended to “note the intention of the House [of Bishops] to keep their Pastoral Statement under review”. Clearly the present arrangements are not working. We hope that a review of the Pastoral Statement will begin soon.
We view with concern the demands placed on the Episcopal Church by the Primates, especially as we are very aware that there are lesbian or gay clergy at all levels of the hierarchy of the Church of England, some of whom have entered into Civil Partnerships.
In the context of Synod’s debates we deeply regret the continuing support of the Church of Nigeria for legislation to criminalise lesbian and gay people. This appears to be a breach of Lambeth 1.10 which restates the need to resist homophobia in all its forms. We encourage all who have contact with the Church of Nigeria to make their concerns clear. The Anglican Communion does deep damage to its mission if it is seen to be supporting legislation which is in clear breach of the United Nations Convention on Human Rights. A letter on this from 250 American faith leaders can be found at http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/02/27/nigeri15425.htm
Giles Goddard, Chair, IC
8 CommentsToday’s Church Times has full coverage of the synod (up to the end of Wednesday) available on the website.
Summary:
Synod divided over homosexuality by Paul Handley
Presidential Address in context:
Anglican game is worth the candle, says Williams
Leader Comment Building trust in a broken Church
Synod signals its opposition to a Trident upgrade
Synod detailed coverage:
Civil-partners policy gets a drubbing
Update In relation to this report see also the letter published on 9 March
From Miss Jacqueline Humphreys
Resembling, but not undermining, marriage
Bishops promote qualified support for gays and lesbians
Marriage Measure: a path too wide — or too narrow?
Anti-Trident motion sharpened up
Synod airs hope and fear on clergy terms
Synod votes to tweak defined-benefits plan
36 CommentsUpdated Saturday
Thursday Morning: official report here.
Thursday Afternoon: official report here.
Church Times for Thursday.
Press reports on Friday morning:
Guardian TV contests humiliate losers, say synod speakers
Telegraph Blame TV for moral decline, says Synod
The Times Church censures rating-chasing TV shows for humiliation factor
And a very detailed report in the Evening Standard Film sex and violence ‘fatally eroding’ society
And a further Guardian organ grinder blog comment that I missed earlier: Who dares to attack TV’s lack of morality?
2 CommentsNo, not those faith leaders.
Matt Thompson reports here on this letter, Faith Leaders Condemn Repressive Nigerian Legislation and this HRW press release, Christian Leaders in US Condemn Nigeria’s Anti-Gay Bill.
Andrew Sullivan writes The Anglicans Out-Sharia Muslims.
An open letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury from LGCM about this is here.
21 Comments