Homosexuality debate grips South African Church: CEN 9.18.09 September 29, 2009
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Church of England Newspaper, Human Sexuality --- The gay issue.trackback
| First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
A second South African diocese will take up the question of pastoral care for gays and lesbians when the False Bay synod meets from Sept 23-26. Carved out of the eastern half of the Diocese of Cape Town in 2005, the Diocese of False Bay will debate a resolution akin to last month’s Cape Town request for an official church policy on gay marriage in light of the country’s gender-neutral marriage laws. The South African general synod in 2002 endorsed a resolution that “acknowledges and gives thanks to God for the role played by lesbian and gay members of the CPSA and encourages the welcoming and affirmation of all members regardless of their sexual orientation, in all the Churches of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.” However, the church forbids its clergy from performing gay marriages or blessing same-sex unions in churches. |
 |
The False Bay resolution states that it affirms a “pastoral response to same-sex partnerships of faithful commitment in our parish families; notes the positive statements of previous Provincial Synods that Gay and Lesbian members of our Church share in full membership as baptised members of the Body of Christ, and are affirmed and welcomed as such;” and affirms the call to “prayerful and respectful dialogue” on this issue.
The resolution asks synod to give “serious and prayerful consideration to the acceptance of gays and lesbians in their committed relationships as valued members of our parish, bearing in mind the long standing tradition within the Anglican Communion of respect for individual conscience, in seeking to be faithful disciples of Jesus;” and asks Bishop Merwyn Castle to “request the Synod of Bishops to provide pastoral guidelines for those of our members who are in covenanted partnerships as faithful members of our parish families.”
Bishop Castle, a former suffragan to Archbishops Desmond Tutu and Njongonkulu Ndungane, has supported the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the life of the church. In 1996 the US pressure group Integrity identified Bishop Castle as one of three “out” gay bishops in the Anglican Communion. Archbishop Ndungane affirmed that Bishop Castle was gay in an Aug 5, 2003 interview, but celibate. In his 2007 charge to the diocesan synod, Bishop Castle noted South Africa’s constitution “abhors any discrimination and the Civil Unions Act makes it possible for people of the same gender to enter a civil union.”
Anglican opinions were divided, he said, as the American Episcopal Church “has consecrated a practicing homosexual bishop in a relationship and together with the Canadian Anglican Church and the Church of England allows the blessing of same-sex unions.”
While opinions were divided, the church should not forget “our gay and lesbian Christian brothers and sisters” whom “we talk about and continue to reject and ridicule and fail to offer a safe space to talk to find out what its like to be patronized and demonized.”
Last week the South African House of Bishops convened a commission to study the question of pastoral care for same-sex couples, but reaffirmed its long-standing position that “clergy unable to commit to another in Christian marriage partnership are called to a life of celibacy.”
