Going their own way, by God

The Economist ^ | 7-24-08

[stan_sipple]

The simplest way of describing the cracks running down the middle of the 80m-strong Anglican family is to say that the traditionalists, reflecting the conservative social mores of Africa, are at odds with liberals from the rich world, especially over the issue of homosexuality. To explain the Africans’ conservatism, many point out that they are on the front line of a contest with Islam; and that missionary work in Africa was carried out by evangelicals who reflect a rather fundamentalist strain of British Christianity.

All that is correct up to a point, and it explains why bishops from Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda are among the 230 or so prelates who are staying away from the Lambeth conference, leaving the meeting with a somewhat depleted total of 650 purple-robed figures. At a gathering in Jerusalem last month, the traditionalists, led by the fiery Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, took the first steps towards forming an alternative pan-Anglican forum.

But not all Africa’s Anglican bishops are conservatives. Ever since the era of apartheid, the Anglican Church in southern Africa has had more pressing concerns than curbing homosexuality, and its own ethos is emollient. When Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the former South African primate, was campaigning for sanctions against South Africa under apartheid, he dealt gently with bishops who disagreed; a culture of “live and let live” endures, says Mr Tutu’s biographer, John Allen.

[geologist]

Is it me? or is there something missing from this posting, to give it a sense of context or maybe it is the content ...

I surmise it is all about Africa ... and ??????????

[xJones]

Is it me? or is there something missing from this posting, to give it a sense of context or maybe it is the content ...

The only thing that isn't missing is the comtempt.

[geologist]

You got that right!

[stan_sipple]

the economist is blatantlty pro-gay, pro-anything against Western values.