The Anglican Church of Kenya has softened its stance against participation in this year’s Lambeth Conference, allowing bishops who wish to attend the once-in-a-decade gathering to do so in their individual capacities instead of a total boycott.
The Nation (Kenya) reports:
However, Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit says the bishops will be doing so because of the “historic nature of the gathering” and “for exposure”.
The bishops who attend the conference will carry with them the church’s memorandum stating ACK’s position especially with regard to the ordination of gay ministers. Archbishop Sapit is among those who will not be attending the conference.
The position was reached during a meeting of the Anglican bishops and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who is in the country partly on a private vacation.
“We had very fruitful discussions with the Archbishop of Canterbury. That is how we arrived at the point that those who will be going will be doing so in their own capacities since bishops are invited individually but they will take with them our memorandum,” Archbishop Sapit said.
The Nation did not suggest a connection with the recent pastoral statement of the Church of England House of Bishops proscribing sex outside of heterosexual marriage.
Gafcon chose to misrepresent the news:
On 26 Jan 2020 the Kenyan press reported the Most Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit reaffirmed that he would not be attending this summer’s gathering of Anglican bishops in Canterbury, and that there would not be an official Kenyan delegation: https://t.co/hx4rLDWeQK
— GAFCON (@gafconference) January 27, 2020