He challenged the conviction still prevalent in parts of the west that
scientific progress in Europe and the Americas meant evangelism and
civilization were inter-related.

Too often the western Church seemed to believe that the former third world would always accept western liberalism as the only alternative to the collapse of communism.

Speaking in his presidential charge at the second session of the second
Synod on Thursday, the Bishop of Lagos West Diocese, Rt. Reverend Peter Awelawa Adebiyi said a Nigerian contingent to the US was amazed at the number of Nigerians and Africans who were in Indianapolis but were not ready to worship in the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, ECUSA, because of the problem of homosexuality. The theme of this year’s Synod is “The Church in the Society.”

Authored by a senior partner at Fasken Martineau, the report says that the motion is “an attempt to change the constitutional structure [of the church] by increasing the authority of the dioceses over an issue which relates to marriage, doctrine and liturgy”.

The report calls into question the validity of the controversial motion, which “affirms” that individual dioceses have the power to create marriage-like blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples.

He added that a debate by the Anglican Church in Canada on gay marriages later this month was a further provocation, as was the treatment of conservative parishes by liberal bishops in America.

In a letter reflecting the fury of the conservatives, the Archbishop
also criticised the chairman of the Lambeth Commission, set up by the
Archbishop of Canterbury to avert schism, for appearing to favour the
liberals.