The Archbishop of Canterbury believes that 1:10 is the accepted teaching of the church but faces opposition winds from a small coterie of homosexual and lesbian bishops and their liberal bishop friends. These homosexuals and lesbians believe the church should be inclusive and diverse, recognizing their present status cannot be reversed by the ABC or Instruments of Unity.

In the preamble to the Resolution -- which bishops are not asked to sign up to, only the actual stated Resolution - Archbishop Justin Badi, Chairman of the GSFA says: "Anglican identity is first and foremost 'grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church.

"Lambeth Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference is a test of faithfulness to this doctrinal standard, because it explicitly applies the clear and historic teaching of Scripture to matters of sexual morality. The Resolution does not take its authority from the Lambeth Conference, but from Holy Scripture."

At their opening press conference last Friday (JULY29), the GSFA announced it would proceed with giving bishops the opportunity to reaffirm. Today the text has been revealed, together with the way bishops can indicate their support for the Resolution.

As Archbishop Badi explained: "We are living at a time of great spiritual confusion and moral flux. The Church of Jesus Christ cannot afford to lose its moorings in Holy Scripture and drift with the world. Based on the need to establish clear doctrine on Marriage and Sexuality at this defining moment for the Anglican Communion, this conference must reaffirm the biblical teaching of Lambeth Conference 1998 Resolution 1.10."

The core resolution reads "that this Conference:-

in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds 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;
recognises that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God's transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them 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;
while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex;
cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;
notes the significance of the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality and the concerns expressed in resolutions IV.26, V.1, V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the authority of Scripture in matters of marriage and sexuality.
Urges that renewed steps be taken to ensure that all Provinces abide by this doctrine in their faith, order & practice."

***

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Archbishop James Wong, Primate of the Indian Ocean and Bishop of Seychelles.

VOL: What do you make of this historical moment?

WONG: The Christian faith came from your forefathers and we have received the Good News of salvation through them. This is a sad situation today that we are seeing, since then and to now, your generation is losing what we have received from their forefathers bringing us this salvation in the north to the south about Jesus.

VOL: Are your demanding or requesting acceptance of Lambeth 1:10 by the bishops and archbishop?

WONG: We are requesting, not demanding, that the Archbishop of Canterbury and all the bishops, receive and accept 1:10.

VOL: What are your hopes for this reaffirmation of 1:10? Are you confident that the majority will affirm and if they don't, what will be your reaction to that?

WONG: 250 bishops are here from the Global South out of 600. Our expectation is that they will all sign it.

VOL: Based on the outcome, what will you do with information?

WONG: It is a good thing to know that our colleagues are reaffirming the Word of God in their ministry, especially in the area of marriage and sexuality.

VOL: Homosexuality is a salvation issue. Can you be in communion with bishops who don't believe that?

WONG: They must be faithful to the Word of God, or they are being unfaithful to Word of God. If they are failing in their faithfulness to the Word of God, they need to reconsider and repent.

VOL: Can the GSFA continue indefinitely to have a foot in both camps, that is with GAFCON and GSFA, bearing in mind that the Executive Council of GAFCON includes primates of the GSFA?

WONG: We are not moving away from our commitment to the Anglican Communion. We are part of the Anglican Communion whatever the result is. At the same time, we have a friendship with GAFCON. Most of us attending here will be at GAFCON in Kigali next year.

VOL: Western Anglicanism is dying, while the Global South goes from strength to strength. Does this change the dynamic in your mind?

WONG: No, but it could mean a change in leadership.

VOL: If the Global South is the future, would you press your case for a new Archbishop of Canterbury coming from the Global South?

WONG: A Crown commission has been formed and there might be more input from the primates giving their opinion on the new ABC. Whoever the ABC is, we will work with him.

VOL: In the Church of England, the gays seem to be closing in on the structures of the church. Does this bother you?

WONG: As an Anglican, I have to be in communion with the See of Canterbury and this can be a future issue with regard to the growth of the Anglican Communion. We can expect some influence on the future ABC.

VOL: Can Archbishop Welby continue to sit on the fence, bearing in mind that he has just issued a statement affirming Lambeth Resolution 1:10?

WONG: We need to teach the truth of the bible; the truth shall set you free. It is important to collaborate with him and help in seeing the value of the Bible and scripture.

VOL: What do you want to say to the four African primates who are not here?

WONG: We respect them and the ABC, and we respect their opinion with all the brothers in the ministry and dialogue with one another. We have had a dialogue with GAFCON primates while here. They have a WhatsApp page and we share with GAFCON what is happening here. So far, it is one way traffic.

VOL: Have you had any contact with the Primate of Nigeria, Henry Ndukuba about what is going on here?

WONG: We have heard nothing from Nigeria. We are only sending out information, but nothing is coming back.

VOL: How many primates here will be in Kigali next year at GAFCON?

WONG: A large majority will be there.

VOL: What do you see is the relationship between GAFCON and GSFA?

WONG: It is open dialogue between GAFCON and GSFA. We are united around the Word of God. We will continue to walk together.

END