The Anglican Communion and the Sunday Times story . A Response from LGCM

A Sunday Times article that never actually appeared fully in the columns of the paper on Sunday 31 July 2005 has caused an uproar in global Anglican circles today.

It can be read here http://www.challengeonline.org

The article quoted Primates of the Anglican Communion threatening action to suspend the Church of England over its policy towards gay clergy entering Civil Partnerships.

The statement from the English House of Bishops can be read here http://www.cofe.anglican.org

The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement’s reaction to the English House of Bishops Statement can be read here http://www.lgcm.org.uk

Matters have not been made easier because two of the Archbishops mentioned in the Sunday Times story are now on holiday (Akinola and Gomez).

Addressing the quotes from the Primates in the article written for the Sunday Times the Reverend Richard Kirker, General Secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) said this today (2nd August 2005)

“Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria and his collaborators will never formally and publicly move against the Church of England; their new American paymasters led by bishop Duncan of Pittsburgh, USA will not allow it.

“These Archbishops may issue threats and try bullying tactics but the real powers behind the current struggle for power within the Anglican Communion will never allow the African Primates to burn the bridges to Canterbury. Peter Akinola will squirm and shout his abuse but he will come to heel.

“The conservative American Network with their friends in Anglican Mainstream in England are at this moment hard at work writing apologies, denials and excuses for the African and West Indian Primates to put their names to. It will not serve their interests to see the power base move to Nigeria or any other African Province.

“The so called Global South Primates will be chastised, given a bloody nose and told to keep their mouths shut in the future. We have seen it before, when Archbishop Malango gave an interview to Virtueonline at the Anglican Consultative Council in June saying much the same things as we are hearing again now ( http://www.virtueonline.org), their American “handlers” gave every reason in the book why this report should not be believed, and Archbishop Malango was apparently instructed to apologise personally to Rowan Williams.

“We can expect the same crawling apologies now from this collection of sinister homophobes who are hell-bent on grabbing power for themselves.”

ENDS

For more information please contact:
Press Officer Martin Reynolds
01633 215841 07795 162781
pressoffice@lgcm.org.uk Office Tel & Fax 020 7739 1249 .

pressoffice@lgcm.org.uk