The full text of the resolution passed by the Canadian Council of General Synod on Uganda last weekend is as follows:
Uganda
This Council of General Synod expresses its dismay and concern over the draft proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill currently before the Parliament of Uganda.
The proposed Bill would severely impede the human rights of Ugandan citizens both at home and abroad by infringing freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, freedom of organization, and legitimate advocacy of civil rights. It would impose excessive and cruel penalties on persons who experience same-sex attraction as well as those who counsel, support, and advise them, including family members and clergy.
We affirm that our baptismal covenant requires us to “respect the dignity of every human being” and to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbour as ourselves.” We further note that 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution 1:10 called upon the Church to reject the irrational fear of homosexual persons and to create opportunities to listen to the voice and experience of homosexual Christians. We recall that the Primates Meeting in Dromantine, Ireland 2005 condemned all persecution and violence towards homosexual persons. Clearly, the proposed Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill fails to meet these standards.
We therefore call upon the Church of the Province of Uganda to oppose this Private Member’s Bill: and we call upon our own Government of Canada, through the Minister of External Affairs, to convey to the Government of Uganda a deep sense of alarm about this fundamental violation of human rights and, through diplomatic channels, to press for its withdrawal; and we ask the Primate to send this message to the appropriate bodies.
Moved by: Bishop Michael Ingham
Seconded by: Mr. Robert Falby QC
Hallelujah for Canada.
Bishop Michael Ingham and the Canadian Council General Synod have done the right thing and we should let them know we are proud of them. They stood up. The sad reality that the American Presiding Bishop and The Archbishop of Canterbury seem to be on vacation or leave of absence by REMAINING SILENT will gone down as shameful behavior. I do not understand their silence but the harm and violence that will come to Uganda’s citizens by this deplorable law will not reflect well on the silent bishops. Hats off to Bishop Michael Ingham and the Canadians!
Oh, Canada! God keep your land glorious and free!
A hearty “Deo Gratias” to our brothers and sisters in the Canadian church.
Meanwhile in response to this news, Lambeth Castle responded with … [** crickets chirping **] which seems to be its response to any Province’s actions unless that action is supportive of GLBT people.
So glad the Canadians took the Human Rights Conference seriously…and you Señora Hellen Grace Akwii-Wangusa, Anglican Human Rights ¨observer¨ at The United Nations from Uganda?
Thank God for this pro-active message to the Anglican Church in Uganda, from the Anglican Church of Canada; that the A.C.in C. expects the A.C.of U. to strongly oppose the proposed legislation to further criminalise of the LBGT community in Uganda. What a wonderful example of Christian Faith in Action on the part of our fellow Anglicans in Canada! And how prophetic – in the light of the recent ACNA declaration by putative Archbishop Bobby Duncan to his little ACNA flock in Canada of ACNA’s continuing stand against the emancipation of Gays in the Church. God Bless Bishop Michael Ingham… Read more »
Today is the World Day of Prayer for Uganda.
Here’s my letter to the Presiding Bishop:
“Dear Bishop Jefforts Schori:
Simple question: When are you going to speak out against Uganda’s Anti-Homosexual Law? Our neighbours to the North, Bishop Michael Ingham and the Canadian Council General Synod, have done. Why not TEC? Our brothers and sisters in that land are at risk of losing their lives because they choose to love each other. Your silence is deplorable.
Shalom!
James Vos
(Member of the Cathedral Church of St Paul, Burlington, VT”
The recent diocesan synod in Montreal this past weekend passed a unanimous motion along these same lines, encouraging our Primate, Fred Hiltz, to speak out against this proposed heinous legislation.
What is that blessed sound? Why, I believe it is Canada speaking up. What is that other sound? Why, it seems to be a deafening silence from all the usual suspects – Canterbury, CoE evangelicals, CoE AngloCatholics, not a tiny peep from his holiness in the Vatican of course, and oh yes, yawning empty air from quite a few other provincial leaders, too. Me and my house will stand tall with Canadian Anglican witness, then. Reminds me of that saying from Bonhoeffer colleague Pastor Martin Niemoller: “When Hitler attacked the Jews I was not a Jew, therefore I was not… Read more »
Of course this is exactly the kind of statement that people committed to human rights make — not as a matter of supererogatory virtue but as basic fulfilment of ethical duty. French and British Government figures, if I mistake not, have already made such statements about the Uganda legislation. The failure of churches to speak up inevitably invites the finger of suspicion to point in their direction.
A proud Canadian moment indeed. For non-Canadians there is an interesting footnote to this story. Bob Falby, the seconder of this motion was, if I’m not mistaken, the lawyer who argued the case against Jim Ferry in the Bishops’ Court, when Archbishop Finley was Bishop of Toronto; the same Archbishop Finley who was mildly censored a year or two ago for officiating at a gay blessing. How far both have come! So to “God Bless Michael Ingham” I would add,”And Bob Falby too!”
Praise God for our Anglican Brethren of Canada. Now lets hear the same from the rest of the Anglican Communion. A loud shout of Love for our brothers and sisters in Uganda suffering under the dictatorship of church and state . Let the Primates warn the Ugandan Archbishop he must recant his support of such an evil act, or face exclusion from the body of the Anglican church. Let the boot be on the other foot for him, after his attempt to separate our American and Canadian brethren from the Anglican fold. Let us stand up and be counted NOW.… Read more »
My thanks to Canadian Christians for standing up and taking this position
gug
A gay Ugandan in Uganda