•Church of Nigeria, others threaten to secede
By Emmanuel Nzomiwu / Enugu
Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma
Homosexuality has again thrown the Anglican Church worldwide into fresh crisis with the Church of Nigeria and other sister churches across the world threatening to secede from the Church of England.
The latest development was fallout of the just concluded Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), held in Nairobi Kenya, which was attended by almost 500 Bishops from Church of Nigeria, which has the largest membership of the Anglican Communion in the world, with over 20 million communicants.
Addressing journalists at Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu on their return from Nairobi, spokesman of the Nigerian delegation to GAFCON, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of Enugu Diocese, said they have resolved not to compromise on the issue of homosexuality.
Chukwuma, who was accompanied by other Bishops, said they were discussing how to make sure that they have other issues to discuss, rather than homosexuality, adding that they deliberated on things concerning their future in theological education, ministration, Holy Spirit, the way Islam is invading the churches and the whole world, culture among others.
He said the Church of Nigeria and others in Africa, Britain and America were ready to secede because they were not ready to yoke with unbelievers or have communion with a person who is a lesbian or homosexual or a Bishop who has forsaken his wife to marry a gay friend.
The Cleric said they were standing seriously on the authority of the Bible, to defend the faith and no going back.
"We are not going to compromise. And we have made it quite known even to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to the whole Europe and America, that there is no compromise as far as the scripture is concerned. So, if they do not repent, we are ready to stand on our own and go ahead with that authority of the scriptures and confess that faith as Anglicans for the future of church of Anglicanism.
"We secede. We are ready to secede because if you look at Ephesians chapter 5, verse 7, it says that you should not have anything to do with those people who are becoming disobedient. So, why should we yoke with unbelievers. So, if they do not repent, we are ready to say, go away, we go our way. We love them but we hate their sins.
"He (Archbishop of Canterbury) left a day before we came because he was going to baptize the grand child of the Queen of England. But we got his statement which is very pathetic that he is not straight forward about his stand on this homosexuality and we are not going to comprise with this at all.
"We feel that he is still sympathetic to these homosexuals and we need to really watch him. And if he does not come to our side, the next Lambert conference, we will not attend" Chukwuma said.
He disclosed that the whole South South, many Dioceses in Africa, even from Britain and America, all over the world they came to Nairobi and they were all saying that they do not want homosexuality.
Bishop Chukwuma said they were making a force that would shake the whole world.
Meanwhile in a communiqué after the GAFCON, the Bishops resolved to commit themselves to teach about God's good purpose in marriage and in singleness and to oppose the secular tide running in favour of same-sex-marriage.
They also resolved to commit themselves anew to the Jerusalem statement and declaration, with emphasis upon the gospel of Christ, as well as rely on the power of the gospel to be effective in mission.
They further resolved to commit themselves to supporting mission and encouraging lay training in obedience to this great Commission to make and mature disciples, with particular attention to children and youth.
"We commit ourselves to work for the transformation of the society. We repudiate all violence against women and children. We shall work for the economic empowerment of those who are most deprived and we shall be a voice for persecuted Christians," the Bishops stated.
