ACSI CONFERENCE PLENARY SESSION, 8 FEBRUARY 2019 THE ANGLICAN JOURNEY

1. ACSI CONFERENCE PLENARY SESSION, 8 FEBRUARY 2019 THE ANGLICAN JOURNEY

2. The journey of the Anglican Church regarding identity and Sexuality • My personal Journey

3. Broad Timeline 1973 Archbishop of York’s statement Archbishop of York, Donald Coggan said on BBC radio in 1973 that many Anglican clergy (only men at the time) were homosexuals. "We must treat them with great sympathy and understanding.“ 1998 Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops The conference upheld the view of "faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage". The Conference refused to "advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions". The vote was 526-70.

4. 1999 Cambridge Accord In response to the division following the Lambeth Conference of 1998, most Church of England bishops (although not including the then Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey), and many others elsewhere in the Anglican Communion, drew up an accord: • Defending the human rights of LGBTI people • Recognised divisions caused by the debate over human sexuality • The Accord did not seek to resolve division over the morality of homosexual acts.

5. 2002 Diocese of New Westminster • The Anglican Church of Canada had been having conversations of Human Sexuality as early as 1977 • The Diocese of New Westminster Synod resolved to make provision for the blessing of Same-Sex unions – created division • New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham responded, “No one is being excluded from our fellowship today. We have not taken sides with one group in our church against another. We have chosen to live together in mutual respect. In this we ask for the support of the wider church, not condemnation, and patience from those who live in very different social contexts from our own.” • The primate, Archbishop Michael Peers, said, “The clergy and laity have made this choice before. Michael (Ingham) had said before that next time, he would not withhold consent.”

6. Gene Robinson consecrated bishop In August 2003 the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire elected an openly gay and partnered priest, Gene Robinson, as bishop. This came after an openly gay priest, Canon Jeffrey John, was appointed to become the Suffragan Bishop of Reading. He agreed to withdraw in order to avoid division. In 2004 he was installed as Dean of St Alban’s Cathedral, in Hertfordshire.

7. 2003 Lambeth Palace Meeting As a result of the controversy Anglican Primates of the 38 Provinces met in Lambeth Palace in October 2003. They wanted to avoid a schism. • The actions in New Westminster and in the Episcopal Church (USA) do not express the common mind of the Communion. Sacramental fellowship had been jeopardised. • The Consecration of Gene Robinson would be a turning point for the communion and the relationships of communion between provinces. • They would not recognise the episcopal ministry of Gene Robinson, and many provinces would consider themselves to be out of Communion with the Episcopal Church (USA) leading to further divisions in the Anglican Communion. They applied a similar stance to the Diocese of Westminster. • They recognised “the need to listen to the experiences of LGBT persons, and [...] gave assurance that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ“ • NO province can interfere in the constitutional processes of another province.

8. 2004 Windsor Report The Lambeth Commission on Communion was appointed to study problems stemming from the controversies. The Commission, chaired by Archbishop Robin Eames, published its findings which became known as the Windsor Report on 18 October 2004. • The report recommended a covenant for the Anglican Communion, an idea that failed to find traction although many provinces signed The Anglican Covenant. • This report took a strong stand against same-sex attracted people • recommended a moratorium on further consecrations of openly gay bishops • Recommended a moratorium on blessings of same-sex unions and marriages • called for all involved in Robinson's consecration "to consider in all conscience whether they should withdraw themselves from representative functions in the Anglican Communion". • It stopped short of recommending disciplinary action against the Episcopal Church or Anglican Church of Canada.

9. Archbishop Rowan Williams 2004 - Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, condemned comments by bishops outside the Western world for inciting violence against gay men and women. Any words that could make it easier for someone to attack or abuse a homosexual person are words of which we must repent. Do not think repentance is always something others are called to, but acknowledge the failings we all share, sinful and struggling disciples as we are.” 2007 - Rowan Williams, at the University of Toronto, argued that conservatives have failed to consider the wider context of Romans 1:27, which states, "and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for error."

10. 2007 Primates’ Meeting The "Communiqué of the Primates’ Meeting, February 2007" "believed that The Episcopal Church has departed from the standard of teaching on human sexuality accepted by the Communion in the 1998 Lambeth Resolution 1.10 by consenting to the episcopal election of a candidate living in a committed same-sex relationship, and by permitting Rites of Blessing for same-sex unions. The episcopal ministry of a person living in a same-sex relationship is not acceptable to the majority of the Communion."

11. 2016 Primates’ Meeting A majority of the primates voted to “punish” the Episcopal Church for revising its canons and marriage rites allowing same-sex marriage. The primates' communiqué stated “It is our unanimous desire to walk together. However given the seriousness of these matters we formally acknowledge this distance by requiring that for a period of three years The Episcopal Church no longer represent us on ecumenical and interfaith bodies, should not be appointed or elected to an internal standing committee and that while participating in the internal bodies of the Anglican Communion, they will not take part in decision making on any issues pertaining to doctrine or polity.” The communiqué condemned "homophobic prejudice and violence and resolved to work together to offer pastoral care and loving service irrespective of sexual orientation" "this conviction arises out of our discipleship of Jesus Christ."

12. Archbishop of Canterbury apologises Shortly after the meeting of the Anglican primates, Archbishop Justin Welby held a press conference in which he apologised "to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for the hurt and pain they have experienced by the Anglican Communion over the years". Welby said, "it is for me a constant source of deep sadness that people are persecuted for their sexuality … I want to take this opportunity personally to say how sorry I am for the hurt and pain in the past and present that the church has caused."

13. Towards Pastoral Guidelines The Anglican Church of Southern Africa Provincial Synod 2013 Resolution Noted: • The progress that has been made by the Synod of Bishops and various Dioceses in developing guidelines for pastoral ministry in response to Civil Unions, and to those who experience themselves as homosexual; • That we have accepted Resolution 1.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998 as the basis for our engagement with the issues of human sexuality • That we are still not of one mind on these matters.

14. Provincial Synod 2013 Resolution Affirmed: • That God calls us to love and minister to all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, while at the same time upholding God’s standards of holiness; • That this is a highly complex and emotive area which affects many people deeply and has a far reaching impact on the mission of the Church. Committed the Anglican Church of Southern Africa: • To journey together in humility and mutual respect as we seek God’s mind on the difficult issues of human sexuality; • To continue to engage in a process of listening to the whole variety of experiences and viewpoints so as to increase our understanding of these issues;

15. Provincial Synod 2013 Resolution Resolved: • Respectfully requests the Synod of Bishops: To work towards finalising the Guidelines for pastoral ministry in response to Civil Unions as soon as possible. OUTCOME • No definitive guidelines have been published • Subsequent Synod of Bishops meetings have only served to describe current policy. • Essentially any one who is or intends to enter into a Civil Same Sex Union may not hold a position of direct Spiritual oversight in the Church.

16. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu 2013 "I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this." "I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level.”

17. Provincial Synod 2016 Resolution Motion 4.19 Blessing of Same Sex-Civil Unions • The motion says that clergy should be especially prepared for a ministry of pastoral care for those identifying as LGBTI and that any cleric unwilling to engage in such envisioned pastoral care shall not be obliged to do so. • It proposed that any bishop of the church who wishes to do so may make provision for their clergy to provide pastoral care to those who identify as LGBTI • The motion affirms the assurance already given by the bishops that church members who identify as LGBTI are loved by God and share in full membership of our Church as baptised members of the Body of Christ. • The more controversial part of the motion proposing that clergy who identify as LGBTI and are in legal same-sex civil unions should be licensed was removed before going to Synod. • The motion suggested that ‘prayers of blessing’ should be able to be offered for those in same-sex civil unions but ruled out the possibility of marriage under church law.

18. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba "I was glad I wear glasses or the synod would have seen the tears. I wanted to be anywhere but in the synod hall. I wished I was at home quietly in Magoebaskloof." Makgoba said that whenever any church members were in pain, "then I am in pain too." "The pain on both sides of the debate in synod was palpable and no one celebrated or applauded the outcome" He reiterated that bishops still believed that when it came to LGBTI members of the Anglican Church, "you are loved by God and all baptised, believing and faithful persons". "We recognise that many of you are baptised and confirmed members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God's transforming power for the living of your lives and the ordering of your relationships."

19. The Archbishop’s Commission on Human Sexuality Pastoral Letter from the Synod of Bishops, September 2017 The Mandate of the Commission on Human Sexuality is to present to Provincial Synod 2019 a proposal enabling the Church “to minister to those in same-sex unions and the LGBTI Community in the context in which ACSA operates in Southern Africa”. This mandate does not rescind the decision of Provincial Synod 2016: it neither assumes that ministry to members of the LGBTI community will include the blessing of same-sex unions, nor does it exclude that possibility, should that be the mind of Provincial Synod 2019. The Commission is directed to consider the situation of Dioceses outside of South Africa, in which there is no provision in civil law for same-sex unions. The mandate is in line with the injunction of the 1998 Lambeth Conference and Provincial Synod of 2002 to listen to the views of the LGBTI Community, and particularly with the part of Lambeth Resolution 1.10 that “calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn [homophobia].”

20. Archbishop Emeritus NjongonkuluNdungane At the Funeral of Reverend Canon Rowan Smith‚ a former Dean of St. Georges Cathedral (Cape Town) 2018 • He called for the kind of leadership “that we saw in the dark days of apartheid” and added that the Anglican Church had excluded a “huge part of itself” in respect of people of different sexuality. • “We bless everything in Church. We bless buildings. Why not same-sex marriage? If one of our priests goes to a meal in the home of a same sex couple who attend his or her Church‚ does it not mean that he or she is addressing their relationship by doing that? Of course it does! We would not refuse to administer the sacrament of baptism to the child of a gay couple. But we won’t bless their union.”

21. Paying Tribute to Canon Rowan Smith Archbishop Emeritus NjongonkuluNdungane • “I have no doubt that Rowan‚ the priest of the people‚ would rejoice with us to see a recognition by the Anglican Church and others in accepting the full human-ness of gay and lesbian people in a new‚ truly rainbow‚ Church.” • “Indeed‚ it is an issue that was very close to his heart and about which he felt very strongly. For that reason‚ I have chosen to focus attention on this issue in this sermon‚ as a way of paying tribute to the person that he was. Together with many of us‚ Rowan would confess that one of the greatest failings of our Church is that‚ despite years and years of debate and dialogue‚ it has not been able to find a position of full acceptance of Anglican people who are LGBTQIA.”

22. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa • 5 Southern African Countries • 28 Dioceses • 350 Anglican Schools