Anglican communion to meet on homosexuality report
Fauwaz Abdul AzizPublished: Oct 28, 2004 5:40 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The Anglican churches of Southeast Asia will meet on Nov 22 to discuss their position on the Windsor Report, a paper which focused on the schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion one year after the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Church threatens to tear it apart.
The Anglican churches of Southeast Asia will meet on Nov 22 to discuss their position on the Windsor Report, a paper which focused on the schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion one year after the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Church threatens to tear it apart.
Leader of West Malaysia's Anglican churches Bishop Lim Cheng Ean said the Synod of the Province of the Anglican Church of Southeast Asia (the Province) would make known its stand on the Windsor Report once they had met and discussed the matter in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
"Normally, the Province meets two to three times a year to discuss important issues. Because of the importance of the report, we will be meeting in Kota Kinabalu on Nov 22 to decide on our response and what we are going to do in light of the report."
Released last week from London, the Windsor Report is said to have noted that the Anglican Communion had been brought to "breaking point" over the stand of mainly North American, British, Australian bishops who had expressed tolerance, if not support, for homosexual priests, same sex union, and gay bishops.
On its other findings, however, such as its recommendation for "greater sensitivity", the Windsor Report is expected to elicit strong remarks from mainly South American, Asian and African bishops.
Head of Nigerian dioceses Archbishop Peter Akinola had already called homosexuality an "abomination" which required the "sincere repentence" of Church leaders rather than "greater sensitivity".
Position made known
Though the Anglican Churches in Malaysia are not expected to change their stance, Lim decline to comment on the possible outcome of the meeting of the Southeast Asian Province in Sabah.
"The Province has already made known its position on the matter, and I don't think at this point we should even repeat those statements," he told malaysiakini when contacted.
Based on the decision of the Province in November, its primate Archbishop Yong Ping Chung of the Diocese of Sabah would then inform the Archbishop of Canterbury in England, said Lim.
Lim added that the Southeast Asian Primate would also deliberate on the issue with Primates from the Anglican Communion's 37 other provinces in London next February.
On Nov 24 last year, the Province of Southeast Asia declared that it had broken communion with the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) consequent on its consecration of 'practicing homosexual' bishop Dr Gene Robinson.
"The Province of Southeast Asia has consistently maintained that same sex unions are against the course of nature, totally against biblical teachings and church doctrines and an abomination to God," said Archbishop Yong in a statement.
Dr Robinson was a divorcee who had lived for 13 years with a male partner before being consecrated bishop on Nov 2 last year.
Leader of West Malaysia's Anglican churches Bishop Lim Cheng Ean said the Synod of the Province of the Anglican Church of Southeast Asia (the Province) would make known its stand on the Windsor Report once they had met and discussed the matter in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
"Normally, the Province meets two to three times a year to discuss important issues. Because of the importance of the report, we will be meeting in Kota Kinabalu on Nov 22 to decide on our response and what we are going to do in light of the report."
Released last week from London, the Windsor Report is said to have noted that the Anglican Communion had been brought to "breaking point" over the stand of mainly North American, British, Australian bishops who had expressed tolerance, if not support, for homosexual priests, same sex union, and gay bishops.
On its other findings, however, such as its recommendation for "greater sensitivity", the Windsor Report is expected to elicit strong remarks from mainly South American, Asian and African bishops.
Head of Nigerian dioceses Archbishop Peter Akinola had already called homosexuality an "abomination" which required the "sincere repentence" of Church leaders rather than "greater sensitivity".
Position made known
Though the Anglican Churches in Malaysia are not expected to change their stance, Lim decline to comment on the possible outcome of the meeting of the Southeast Asian Province in Sabah.
"The Province has already made known its position on the matter, and I don't think at this point we should even repeat those statements," he told malaysiakini when contacted.
Based on the decision of the Province in November, its primate Archbishop Yong Ping Chung of the Diocese of Sabah would then inform the Archbishop of Canterbury in England, said Lim.
Lim added that the Southeast Asian Primate would also deliberate on the issue with Primates from the Anglican Communion's 37 other provinces in London next February.
On Nov 24 last year, the Province of Southeast Asia declared that it had broken communion with the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) consequent on its consecration of 'practicing homosexual' bishop Dr Gene Robinson.
"The Province of Southeast Asia has consistently maintained that same sex unions are against the course of nature, totally against biblical teachings and church doctrines and an abomination to God," said Archbishop Yong in a statement.
Dr Robinson was a divorcee who had lived for 13 years with a male partner before being consecrated bishop on Nov 2 last year.
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