Uganda boycotts Lambeth 2008

From the blog, Stupid Scholar (some of his info is not up-to-date, i.e., he's not sure if Nigeria is going to Lambeth or not, but a very insightful and interesting take from a non-Anglican) [boldface mine]:

About three and a half years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Henry Luke Orombi, then the archbishop-elect of Uganda. He visited Reformed Theological Seminary, preached a wonderful sermon, and then fielded questions. After answering questions for about 15 minutes - everything from ministry to the uprising in Rwanda - someone asked how we, as Christians, could pray for him.

He said, "Pray for me. I am very scared. I am about to move my family from the rural country to the urban city. I am scared that my family won't adjust, or that the lack of safety in the city will cause harm to them. Also, pray for me. In just a few month, I will be the pastor to over a million Christians and the leader of thousands of other pastors. That is more responsibility than I can handle. Pray that the Lord would be with me." Ever since that expression of humility, I have had the utmost respect for the most reverend Orombi.

Thus, I was not at all surprised to read that he has just said that his bishops, the bishops of Uganda, would not attend the 2008 Lambeth conference. Lambeth conferences occur every 10 years, and bishops from all over the world are invited to attend. It is one of the "Four Institutions of Union" of the Anglican church, and represents the community and communion of Anglicanism. Hence, not showing up for this meeting is equivalent to a spit in the face. It sends a clear signal to Canterbury that a great cleft exists within the Anglican communion. In fact, one ought to doubt whether the term, "Anglican communion," is even appropriate anymore. Division seems inevitable.

What is more, bishops from Australia and Kenya are also expected to boycott the conference. I am not sure if Peter Akinola has announced that Nigeria will also not attend, but it would not surprise me in the least. Yep, the split seems to be occurring even as I type.

To many Christians in the US, a church split may not appear to be a big deal at all. Splits happen all the time. That is often why there exists a "Fifth Baptist Church;" they probably had issues with the first 4. Whether it's a personal issue between congregation and pastor, a doctrinal issue, the way a matter was handled, or even the color of the carpet, most Christians in the US have either been through a church split, or know someone who has. What's the big deal?

Well, I would bet that if the Anglican church splits, it would be commensurate with the sundering of the Reformation. This is not one church going in separate directions. The Anglican church is made up of over 77 million Christians world-wide, and this denomination has existed in tact for over 400 years! If bishops leave the communion, then their parishioners de facto do, as well. This is a HUGE deal, affecting millions of people. Whether one stays within the "communion" or joins the sectarians, it will be impossible not to feel the results. If/when the split happens, there will be confusion, delusion, pain, and probably outright defection.

So what has caused all of this? Why are so many bishops and leaders willing to leave this communion and historic tradition and cause such misunderstanding and discomfort? Well, the straw that broke the camel's back was the consecration of Gene Robinson, who was/is an open and practicing homosexual. Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, has done literally nothing to fix tensions or rebuke offenders, and the stone in the sandal has not been removed or mollified.

However, the real issue is that conservative Anglicans, who are quite prevalent in the global south, are convinced that those who espouse and agree with Robinson's consecration as bishop have rejected the authority of Scripture. The Bible speaks several times against homosexual practices, and not just in the Old Testament. Romans 1:26-27 is a prime example. Approving of Robinson's consecration is interpreted as a rejection of Holy Scripture itself. It is similar to a faction of Congress rejecting the US Constitution. You just can't do that. The core issue is the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible, and that is an issue worth dividing over.

So let me ask us all to do what Orombi asked us to do: pray!. . .

Read it all.