Updated Friday morning
From a press release by Changing Attitude England:
Over the Easter weekend 2008, gay leaders of Changing Attitude Nigeria were seriously assaulted. They, and the Director of Changing Attitude England, were also threatened with death because “they are polluting Nigeria with abomination and immorality”. The attacks were reported to the police in Nigeria, Togo and the UK.
In an open letter to conservative Anglican church leaders twenty Anglican bishops and leaders have expressed concern about the use of incautious language and urge conservative church leaders to consider the effects of the language that they use.
The letter is signed by several UK bishops and other clergy. The signers are: Revd Canon Professor Marilyn MacCord Adams, Rt Revd Michael Bourke, Rt Revd Ian Brackley, Bishop of Dorking, Rt Revd Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ramsbury, Very Revd Vivienne Faull, Rt Revd Lord Harries of Pentregarth, Rt Revd Richard Holloway, Rt Revd Stephen Lowe, Bishop of Hulme, Revd Sr Una Kroll, Rt Revd Richard Lewis, Rt Revd Jack Nicholls, Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Revd John Oliver, Rt Revd John Packer, Bishop of Ripon & Leeds,Christina Rees, Rt Revd Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire, Rt Revd John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln, Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby, Rt Revd Kenneth Stevenson, Bishop of Portsmouth, Revd Dr Anne Townsend, and The Revd Canon Angela Weaver
The open letter can be read in its entirety in the press release.
The Lead’s previous coverage of the Easter violence is here.
Friday morning updateResponding to conservative charges on conservative Anglican websites, Changing Attitude has issued a second press release that reads in part:
Those Primates, bishops and priests who are members of the GAFCON leadership team have an authority and stature among their own constituency. They are able to communicate to their followers and church members and be heard with respect. We ask them to speak now and break their silence. We ask them to state categorically that any Christian who threatens or attacks a person because they are lesbian or gay comes under the judgment of God and disobeys God’s law.