A Stitch in Haste

It is my longstanding thesis that the reason both the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches have become increasingly reactionary and conservative, especially regarding homophobic bigotry, is because they are competing to win the hearts and minds of their shared base, namely Africa. It’s a classic race to the bottom.

Here’s the latest data point:

Africa’s two most important archbishops joined to criticize a new Church of England policy on gays and lesbians.

Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola and Ugandan Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi each assailed a July 25 announcement from England’s bishops that said gay priests who register same-sex partnerships under a new civil law will remain in good standing so long as they promise to remain celibate. The English bishops also said that lay Anglicans who register civil unions will not be denied the sacraments.
…
[Akinola] further suggested that world Anglicanism must now discipline the Church of England along similar lines that Anglican bodies worldwide have taken against liberal actions by the U.S. and Canadian churches.
…
The continent of Africa, whose Anglican council is chaired by Akinola, is home to half of world Anglicans.

As I’ve said before, gays and straights of good will in America or any other civilized country can rant and protest all we want against global church bureaucracies, but it won’t do any good. We’re not even on their radar screens. It’s all about Africa (and other third-world regions such as the Caribbean and South America). And if that means that global Anglicanism, or even global Catholicism, ends up devolving into a collection of detached factions, then so be it.

You can expect schisms, but don’t expect change.

Similar Posts:

• Global Christians Race to the Bottom on Gay Bigotry
• Naked Bigotry Update: Pope Urges Anglicans to Reject Gays
• Global Anglicans Invite U.S Bigots to Quit Episcopal Church
• Nigerian Anglicans to Church of England: Drop Dead
• Global Anglicans Want U.S. Apology for Gay Bishop

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