African Anglican Bishops Worried by Western Domination
by Lekan Otufodunrin
VIRTUOSITY CORRESPONDENT
Nigeria Online Christian News
LAGOS (10/16/2004)--Indications have emerged that the first African Anglican Bishops Conference scheduled to begin on October 26 in Lagos, Nigeria's former capital city is part of moves to assert the independence of the continent in the global Anglican community
Speaking at an interactive session with the media, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the conference, Rev. Peter Adebiyi, said the church in Africa is now in a position to address its problem instead of relying on developed nations.
"More of what is known about Africa and Africans come from the western world. There are a number of things that have been misrepresented to the world.
"If we speak for ourselves, we will be able to put the issues straight before the world. This is a way of doing just that" Adebiyi stated insisting that the conference is not a separatist affair.
According to Adebiyi who is the Anglican Bishop for Lagos West Diocese, there are some biblical worldview problems facing Africa, which must be jointly brought to the open and deliberated upon for the growth of Christian faith.
Explaining that the plan for the meeting predated the vexed issue of the ordination of a bishop in the US, Adebiyi confirmed that the unresolved controversy would definitely be deliberated on along with others by the about 250 Bishops expected at the conference.
He reiterated that the gay ordination was an aberration that should be condemned indicating that the conference would provide an opportunity for Bishops in the continent to be united on the matter.
"It will be a failure if the church cannot speak against any ungodly act. Our society abhors it. There is no place in the Bible where the issue of homosexualism is accepted "Adebiyi maintained.
Despite the sharp disagreement over the gay ordination in the Anglican community, Adebiyi expressed the hope that it would soon be resolved like other problems in the past.
"By God's grace, this issue of the gay thing will be put behind is so that we can move ahead as a church".
As the host nation, Adebiyi said Nigeria stand to gain a lot of spiritual benefits, as it would serve as an avenue to reawaken the people of the reawaken the people to get back to God.
"We are trusting that the conference would usher in an era of peace in Nigeria. We also believe that the conference would strength Nigeria as a nation" he said.
The weeklong meeting will end on November 1
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