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Professor Gerald West, who developed the Bible study program for the 2008 Lambeth Conference, was one of the principle planners of a gathering of Episcopalians
The story of the Rev. Mote Magomba’s change of heart on LGBT issues was among the highlight of the gathering of African Anglicans and Episcopalians that the Chicago Consultation and the Ujamaa Centre hosted in Duban, South Africa last fall. Here, you can hear him speak about it at greater length.
From the Chicago Consultation: In October, some 25 Anglican leaders from across Africa gathered with more than a dozen Episcopalians from the United States for
“I must confess my sin to you.” Sitting down with tears in his eyes he said, “ I did not know about gay people. I have been wrong in what I have thought about you. Now I will go and tell people. I have a platform. I am a teacher. I will tell my people that we have been wrong about gay people. I am so sorry.”
Today I hope to roll out some of the first videos, columns and sermons from participants in the recently concluded consultation in Durban, South Africa among African Anglicans, Episcopalians and some interfaith friends on issues of justice and human sexuality. First up is a video that Bishop Jeff Lee of Chicago sent home to the people of his diocese.
The Anglican Communion is a legacy of imperialism that decimated the natural resources of a significant portion of what is now the third world where people remain mired in economic slavery until Jesus returns. A covenant that acknowledged these international realities would be a document radical and gospel-truth-telling enough to be worthy of calling a covenant. Such a covenant is not on the table.
By recognizing that God’s work in one province may be radically different from God’s work in another, this covenant honors new understandings of our lives in Christ. Most importantly, the Covenant for Communion in Mission eschews uniformity, punitive action and centralized authority in favor of our love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ and belief that we are all called to do God’s work in the world.
As the Anglican Covenant picks up support from provinces across the globe, we thought it might be a good time for Episcopalians to think once again about the nature of the document they may be asked to put their church’s name to at our General Convention in 2012
The Episcopal Café seeks to be an independent voice, reporting and reflecting on the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition. The Café is not a platform of advocacy, but it does aim to tell the story of the church from the perspective of Progressive Christianity. Our collective sympathy, as the Café, lies with the project of widening the circle of inclusion within the church and empowering all the baptized for the role to which they have been called as followers of Christ.
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