Almost three weeks ago, news reports began to circulate of new proposed legislation in Uganda that would criminalize even the creation of coordinated efforts to defend the rights of LGBT Ugandans. Colin Coward, of Changing Attitude is very troubled by the silence that has reverberated within the Anglican Communion as a result:
“The Anglican Communion and its leaders have reached a critical moment of judgement in its attitude to homosexuality. It is now 19 days since the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 was tabled by David Bahati, the MP for Ndorwa West in Uganda but the leaders of the Communion have remained silent. The only Anglican groups to have responded are those working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
[…]The proposed Bill legislates for capital punishment, will criminalize anyone who responds in any way to a homosexual person in Uganda and increases prejudiced attitudes towards homosexuals. American conservative Christian groups are complicit in encouraging the tabling of the Bill.
[…]The Anglican Communion MUST therefore, oppose the proposed Ugandan and Nigerian legislation. There is no possible alternative position. It must do so in Uganda because the legislation proposes the death penalty (to which the Communion is opposed) and in both countries because the Bills will oppress members of the Ugandan and Nigerian churches, me”
(NB: In UK usage, tabling a motion means “to propose it for consideration”)
Read the full essay here.
Thinking Anglicans has excellent coverage of the recent developments around this issue here.