BBC Radio 4’s “Sunday” program has looked into the situation in the Ugandan Parliament with a bill promoting anti-gay measures and found more of the “deafening silence” within the Anglican Communion that has many asking for a voice of intercession or appeal.
Lowell Grisham of The Chicago Consultation and Colin Coward of the UK-based advocacy group Changing Attitude are among the interviewees in this week’s edition of “Sunday.”
Grisham:
We believe that the leaders of the Anglican church should speak out, especially to those who are frightened and threatened by this legislation in Uganda. This is a matter of justice and of compassion. We see this as legislation that violates Christ’s command that we love our neighbors as ourself and his example to show compassion to vulnerable and marginalized people.
(On Nov. 20th, the Consultation called for statements of condemnation from Rowan Williams, Katharine Jefferts Schori, President of the House of Deputies Dr. Bonnie Anderson, and Henry Luke Orombi [Primate of the Anglican Church of Uganda]. A specially called teleconference of members of Executive Council will tackle the issue Dec. 7th.)
That’s where we stand stateside. In Britain,
… no such public opposition has emerged either, as ‘Sunday’ discovered when it approached senior bishops with close connections to the Ugandan church and asked, unsuccessfully, for comment. The most anyone would say was that quiet diplomacy was going on in the wings, and statements may emerge in due course.
Coward says he’s had conversations with Lambeth, and although he’s heard why Lambeth has issued no statement,
This is a terrible dereliction of duty by the Christian church…. I’m deeply disappointed. You cannot leave a void; you can’t say nothing.
The portion of the show dealing with Uganda begins at 9:18 in and lasts for about seven minutes.