Free Republic

Today in the church lectionary we commemorate the martyrs of Uganda. What a wonderful example of steadfast faith and obedience unto death, and of a sacrifice that brought forth a great harvest:John 12:24-25I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (NIV)———The Martyrs of Uganda 3 June 1886On 3 June 1886, thirty-two young men,...

LONG before the Lambeth 2 and the divisive marriage of the American gay bishop Gene Robinson broke the Anglican Communion, Uganda's infant Christian community had to deal with today's hot potato. Ugandan converts were thrown headlong into "the issue of the 21st century". How do Christians respond to state-sanctioned homosexuality in light of its apparent contradictions with culture, faith and nature? For the early church, it was a literal "baptism by fire" experience. Mwanga's homosexuality is an issue we tip-toed about for fear of offending the Buganda monarchy which abhors homosexuality. But all historical accounts of the martyrs agree that...