The Anglican Church in Sudan has issued a strong rebuke at the Lambeth Conference, asking the North American churches to refrain from endorsing either practicising homosexuals in church leadership or same sex blessings.

The church issued a statement at Lambeth, similar to the one given at GAFCON, where it upheld the biblical view on human sexuality but the Primate went further, calling for the resignation of homosexual Bishop Gene Robinson.

Saying it took the step ‘out of deep concern for the unity of the Church’, the Primate of Sudan Dr Daniel Deng Bul, said “We believe that human sexuality is God's gift to human beings which is rightly ordered only when expressed within the life-long commitment of marriage between one man and one woman. We require all those in the ministry of the Church to live according to this standard and cannot accept church leaders whose practice is contrary to this.”

The statement calls on North American churches to comply with the 1998 Lambeth resolutions, and for the Bishops involved in the consecration, many of whom are at Lambeth, to repent.

Archbishop Bul said the actions had “not only caused deep divisions within the Anglican Communion but it has seriously harmed the Church's witness in Africa and elsewhere, opening the church to ridicule and damaging its credibility in a multi-religious environment.”

The call came at an impromptu news conference given by the Archbishop when the official Canterbury press office did not schedule any time for him to speak to reporters.

Indaba in doubt

The conference is proceeding with so-called ‘Indaba’ groups, which come from a Zulu tradition of talking about issues until they are resolved. 

Image: the Archbishop of Canterbury supports ‘Indaba’ groups

There have been various media reports saying participants are unhappy with the process, because not enough time is allowed for discussion and there is no procedure for resolution.

One prominent Liberal, Theo Hobson, writing in the Guardian newspaper called it ’ just a massive talking-shop’.

But he says there is agreement on the process from the liberal bishops because “they have a deep trust that the communion’s position on sexuality will liberalise, given time. Of course they cannot say this " because it contravenes the existing orthodoxy, and also because it would sound colonial " ‘let’s wait for the developing nations to catch up’.”

He goes on to say “This is why so many evangelicals have boycotted: they knew that this tacit reformist agenda would be present.”

There are reports of a meeting on the sidelines of the conference involving one of the GAFCON leaders, Archbishop Greg Venables of the Southern Cone, and two of the Global South leaders as well as officials from the
Archbishop of Canterbury’s office.

Earlier this week, Bishop Robert Forsyth, the Bishop of South Sydney and Commissary of the Diocese while Dr Jensen is away,  responded to comments in the opening Communion service by the Sri Lankan Primate who described the Anglican Communion as ‘wounded’.

Bishop Forsyth told the ABC “He’s right to draw attention to the very sad truth that we are a wounded community and that some people have not gone to Lambeth which is indicative of the serious crisis that now exists in the Anglican Communion. The Lambeth conference is not like the ALP national convention - you all just turn up and have a big argument together. It is supposed to be a place of Christian fellowship and people like Peter Jensen and other bishops around the world cannot in conscience take communion with those from some of the bishops in America who have acted so wrongly.”

Bishop Forsyth said the absence of so many bishops had actually helped the conference by highlighting the seriousness of the issue.

“The fact that some are not there is a message to the rest of the communion, this is not some minor question that will go away quickly. There is a serious issue and whether you think we should be there or not, we can’t avoid the issue.”

GAFCON on TV

A documentary on GAFCON went to air on BBC TV in England this week, and that has renewed the focus on the final GAFCON statement known as the Jerusalem declaration.

The broadcast featured a profile of Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria and an interview with Archbishop Peter Jensen as well as coverage of the final days of GAFCON.

Image: Archbishop Jensen interviewed by reporter Ben Anderson in Jerusalem

It is not known whether the documentary will air in Australia.

Meantime, The rector of All Souls in London, the Rev Hugh Palmer is, like Sydney, praying for the outcome of Lambeth.

He told his congregation “many still hope it will rise to the challenge of producing a covenant that can safeguard the biblical gospel and better guard the fellowship. The communion is after all a worldwide church and problems are far more acute in some places than others.”

Welcoming GAFCON he said “All Souls simply wants to stand graciously under the scriptures ... and that seems to me to be at the heart of the GAFCON final statement. The twin dangers people fear are action that divides the church unnecessarily and a burying the head in the sand that pretends there are no problems or that they are only serious in North America! GAFCON has put a clear marker down and begun to provide a possible way forward for those in most need of protection.”

Archbishop of Canterbury’s photo: ACNS/Sweeny © Lambeth Conference