On 14 January 2016 a gathering of archbishops and moderators in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral passed a motion calling for excommunication of the Episcopal Church for a period of three years.
Dominated by conservative African bishops, the break is over the American acceptance of gay marriage and female priesthoods, anathemas in Africa where the church is built on the work of British missionaries now competes with the Islam. The American church will now be demoted to observer status..
The motion further asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to “appoint a task group to maintain conversations among ourselves with the intention of restoration of relationship, rebuilding of mutual trust, healing the legacy of hurt, recognising the extent of commonality, and exploring our deep differences, ensuring they are held in the love and grace of Christ.”
The motion was passed by a two thirds margin, sources tell AI.
The Rev. Arun Arora, director of communications for the Church of England released a message on Twitter in response to the news of sanctions, stating: “@anglicanink Acting within the love&grace of Jesus Not about sanctions but consequences in context of unanimous commitment to walk together”.
Neither would the Episcopal Church in Africa survive under this stone-age idea that homosexuality is sin. Did Jesus not say, “ye who have not sinned, cast the first stone.” Sooner or later Africans who are still suffering from a colonial disease would recover and throw out these old Episcopalians.
So howsit that very conservative Islam and Christianity are growing across Africa?
I wonder what the South African Church feels about this?