Nigerian Anglican archbishop, other conservative leaders, politely decline Pope’s invitation

October 26, 2009

The steering committee of Global South Anglican-- a group founded in 2005 that represents 20 of the world’s 38 Anglican provinces-- announced on October 25 that it is not considering Pope Benedict’s invitation to Anglicans to enter the Catholic Church as communities under the leadership of personal ordinaries.

“We welcome Pope Benedict XVI’s stance on the common biblical teaching on human sexuality, and the commitment to continuing ecumenical dialogue,” said the steering committee, chaired by Archbishop Peter J. Akinola of Nigeria. “At the same time we believe that the proposed Anglican Covenant sets the necessary parameters in safeguarding the catholic and apostolic faith and order of the Communion. It gives Anglican churches worldwide a clear and principled way forward in pursuing God’s divine purposes together in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church of Jesus Christ. We urge churches in the Communion to actively work together towards a speedy adoption of the Covenant.”

“As Primates of the Communion and guardians of the catholic and apostolic faith and order, we stand in communion with our fellow bishops, clergy and laity who are steadfast in the biblical teaching against the ordination of openly homosexual clergy, the consecration of such to the episcopate, and the blessing of homosexual partnerships,” the prelates continue. “We also urge them, as fellow Anglicans, to continue to stand firm with us in cherishing the Anglican heritage, in pursuing a common vocation, in expressing our unity and common life, and in maintaining our covenanted life together.”

 

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Further information:

• A Pastoral Exhortation to the Faithful in the Anglican Communion (Global South Anglican)
• Global South (Anglican) (Wikipedia)