CHANGING ATTITUDE NIGERIA NEWS

Archbishop Peter Akinola unhappy with his secessionist friends in the USA

Sunday, 3 December 2006

The Steering Committee of the Global South Primates were in the USA two weeks ago. Archbishops Drexel Gomez (West Indies), Greg Venables (Southern Cone), Peter Akinola (Nigeria), John Chew (South East Asia), Benjamin Nzimbi (Kenya) and Justice Akrofi (West Africa) were present. Those representing the Network that were mentioned by name included Bishops Schofield, Salmon and Duncan and Bill Thompson of All Saints, Long Beach.

They met behind closed doors at the Falls Church in the suburbs of Washington from 15-17 November to formulate a plan to create an alternative ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the United States, independent of the Episcopal Church but still part of the Anglican Communion, for those who claim the title of traditionalists. Claim, because they are in truth violating their ordination vows, as Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has pointed out, and are a minority in the church, secessionists who seek power and control on their terms.

Bishop Schofield later offered limited information about the meeting with the Global South. The Primates were asking for specific things of the Network;
1. Unity
2. A single spokesman (Bishop Duncan was selected)
3. Signatures on a document which will be submitted to the Primates (all present signed, although the contents of the document were not revealed.)

According to Bp. Schofield, the Global South Primates want to see a new Network Province set up, but not just with San Joaquin as a member. They want a number of dioceses represented. The Primates want to see San Joaquin unified with other dioceses, and willing to take direction from them. From this point on, the Primates would call the shots. San Joaquin was to go forward with the first reading and then await further instructions from the Global South Primates.

The plan being prepared by the group is the creation of a new, 39^th Anglican Province in North America supported by the Primates of the Global South. Bishop John-David Schofield of the diocese of San Joaquin has stated in a letter to his diocese that any change would not be structural, but the word “Episcopal” would be replaced with the word “Anglican.” San Joaquin “could be in the vanguard” with “seven or more [US] dioceses lined up waiting to follow [their] leadership example.”

The Church of England Newspaper reported on 24 November that details of the meeting had not been released and on 1 December, reported that details remained sketchy. The discussions seemed to have focussed on four issues: the ills of the Episcopal Church; discussions of structural solutions that could be implemented by overseas primates; the Global South communiqué calling for the creation of a separate ecclesiastical structure of the Anglican Communion in the USA; and the divisions within the American ‘traditionalist‘ movement.

Archbishop Akinola returns unhappy
Changing Attitude England has received further information about the meeting from members of our sister organisation Changing Attitude Nigeria. Archbishop Peter Akinola reportedly returned to Nigeria from the US in a very unhappy frame of mind. The discussions had not gone at all well from his point of view. He wanted a very private meeting and endorsement for his own plans but he didn’t get what he wanted. One of the Americans bishops at the meeting, who Archbishop Akinola expected to give unequivocal support to his plans, instead repeatedly told him that the American bishops need to think about the legal problems before they are able to take further action. This apparently came as painful news to Archbishop Akinola who had assumed his needs and agenda would be met, but they weren‘t. It appears that he wanted his American friends to be more needy so that he could present himself as coming to their rescue. Instead, he discovered that they are not able to do as much as he expected and this is giving him a big problem, which not surprisingly, includes the problem of money. His American supporters are no longer providing adequate financial support for his plans. It is no surprise to Changing Attitude to learn that relationships between the Global South Primates and their supposed supporters in the secessionist dioceses of the USA are not as harmonious as they might wish the outside world to believe.

One of the contentious issues between Global South and secessionist north may be plans formed by Archbishop Akinola for a small conference prior to Lambeth 2008 and a second, major conference after Lambeth.

South Africa marriage vote increases pressure in Nigeria
At home in Nigeria Archbishop Peter Akinola is confronted by further worries. He has started a new lobby in the National Assembly about the bill to ban same-sex marriage, his anxiety raised by the approval of same-sex marriage in South Africa.

The bill is presently on the table of the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights. The new development in South Africa has made the Archbishop so worried that he is talking with top government officials who are Anglicans. He is asking them to do this one favour for God and the Church. Archbishop Akinola feels humiliated that the bill has still not passed even when the presidency has appeal to the law makers to favour the bill which originated with the president.

It would appear that Changing Attitude Nigeria and other groups have succeeded in focussing world-wide attention on the bill. They have been advised to ensure that religious leaders in the UK and USA are made aware of the bill and an appeal made to them to advise the Nigerian church that the bill is fundamentally opposed to Anglican teaching as expressed in Lambeth 1,10 and the Windsor Report.

CAN leader Davis MacIyalla receives death threats
Meanwhile, Davis Maciyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria continues to receive threatening emails, four in the past week. The most recent seems to come from a member of the Church of Nigeria. The latest email is menacing, threatening Davis‘s life. We expect the Church of Nigeria to deny the above stories and any involvement in threats to Davis’s life. Changing Attitude believes the threats to Davis are serious, and will only be countered when the Church of Nigeria states categorically that it is opposed to the Government bill and is committed to the listening process and opposed to any form of homophobia.

Email to Davis MacIyalla:
“If you think you’re fighting a good cause, why do leave your profession and keep hiding? Are you not ashamed of yourself? If you’re man enough come and face the press and tell them your story. Because I don’t think the youth or the Anglican community would accept you.

We’re actually waiting to pounce on you and I believe we’d surely get hold of you. Stay wherever you are and don’t dare come back. We’re watching your dejected house and your family.

You deserve to die because you have chosen to lead a life contrary to nature. You know very well that the society and even the church cannot accept you.

No wonder you’re now a wanderer, scared of your own shadow. Keep watching your back and remember also that those who got you entangled in your dirty lifestyle can’t save you. Time would come when you’d beg for mercy because the government would put you in a prison where you’d regret ever being born.

I want to warn you again that never set foot on Nigerian soil. Repent because your brain is full of dirty acts.”
William Stanley

Telephone 01380 724908
E-mail office@changingattitude.org

This page was last updated on Monday, 18 August 2008