The Church of England in South Africa (Cesa) on Sunday disassociated itself from any action to accept homosexuality as a valid expression of human sexuality.
Cesa congregations throughout the country were told it is not bigotry to view homosexual lifestyle as wrong, but that the doors of Cesa churches are open to all regardless of their lifestyle choices, a statement said.
Cesa presiding bishop Frank Retief was prompted by the controversy in the Anglican Communion over the consecration of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in the United States, Cesa added.
He said there are two churches in South Africa with Anglican roots — the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (CPSA) and Cesa.
Cesa is descended from the first Anglican churches established in the Cape in the 1800s, and holds to the historic Anglican understanding of Christianity.
Retief said the Bible’s plain teaching is that the homosexual lifestyle is contrary to God’s design, and the Bible remains the final authority for all belief and behaviour.
He said Cesa repudiates the homosexual lifestyle and any other form of sexual immorality, but affirms its commitment to sharing the gospel message of forgiveness.
Those within Cesa who frown on homosexuality are nevertheless concerned that homosexuals should experience God’s grace and understand God’s truth.
”We recognise that such a claim will not be acceptable to those who see things differently, but we can do no other than to state it plainly for all to hear,” Retief said.
He said Anglicans worldwide may well be embroiled in a difficult and potentially divisive debate, as truth sometimes does divide, but this should not obscure the fact that for more than 2 000 years the gospel of Jesus Christ has been preached and believed in the world. — Sapa