Anglican Mainstream

From Canon Ben Enwuchola, Chaplain to the Nigerian Community and Canon Dr Chris Sugden. Member of General Synod and Executive Secretary of Anglican Mainstream

The Lesbian Gay Christian Movement has a full page advertisement in the Church Times this week linking the church’s dilemma over engagement in the slave trade with its current dilemma on issues of human sexuality. It states: “Should it (the Anglican communion) support the end to the slave trade? Some said ‘no’ and turned to the Bible for justification. But just as the Church was able to search its soul and overcome this to support the abolition of slavery, it ought to be able to support justice and inclusion for lesbian and gay people.” The advert also makes a number of allegations about the Archbishop of Nigeria, the Most Rev Peter Akinola.

The following should be noted.

1. The very people who were set free from slavery, which was a powerful global expression of western culture at the time, do not wish to come in bondage to that culture again in the form of its sexual licence.

2. Those who cited the Bible to justify their views on supporting slavery based their views actually on economic theory, not on the Bible.

3. When he met a representative of Changing Attitude Nigeria in Tanzania in February, Archbishop Akinola treated him with courtesy. Those of us who know Archbishop Akinola and have discussed these matters with him know that none of the imputations of this advert have any basis in his thinking or action. He is committed to the human rights of all the oppressed, including those who feel they are oppressed because of their sexuality. He is seeking in his context which is characterised by militancy on this issue to operationalise that decision. He needs our prayers and support.

In General Synod in February 2006 , Canon Chris Sugden said in the debate on the Anniversary of the Abolition Slave Trade:

“Finally, slavery was part of the culture of the time. William Wilberforce and his colleagues were up against powerful political alliances. We bewail the extent of the involvement of the Church in the culture of slavery and hope that we would not do the same – indeed! However, currently there is great pressure on the Church to collude in the culture of our day by going along with the Government in sanctioning what many regard as a parody of marriage, failing to give clear biblical teaching that sex is to be between a man and a woman in marriage, and enshrining in church provision for ordained ministers the same provision for same-sex partnerships as for marriage. Let us not repent of our forefathers’ sins of collusion with culture and fail to notice our own current and corporate temptations to do the same.”

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