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Over the Easter weekend 2008, gay leaders of Changing Attitude Nigeria were seriously assaulted. 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.
Changing Attitude suggests that the total number of LGBT Anglicans world-wide could be at least 3.75 million. The figure is based on the probability that in every country, at least 5% of the population will come to identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered.
Changing Attitude questions the motives and integrity of those organising the Global Anglican Future Conference in June and affirms that with them, we are faithful, mission oriented, global Anglicans.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, yesterday attended a meeting of the Clergy Consultation. Dr Williams presided and preached at a service of Holy Communion and later addressed the members present, responding to questions.
In The Daily Telegraph, 19 November 2007, Jonathan Petre reports that the Archbishop of Canterbury is preparing to target individual bishops whose pro-gay policies threaten to derail his efforts to avert schism by withdrawing their invitations to next year's Lambeth Conference. Is the Archbishop of Canterbury proposing to withhold invitations from English as well as bishops from other Provinces, the USA in particular, who in the perception of conservatives, are also pro-gay in their diocesan policy?
There is only one possible outcome for the current crisis in the Anglican Communion - the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in the church, in lay ministry, as priests and as bishops, in every Province.
At Changing Attitude Nigeria we are very disappointed at the outcome of the bidding process for hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Like most Nigerians we would have loved such an important international sporting occasion to come to our country. CAN issued a damning report about Abuja’s bid. Our disappointment is that the Nigerian government failed to respond to the issues we raised in time for the bidding process.
We were not trying to stop Abuja’s bid completely, we were simply not prepared to support it at any cost.
Archbishop Akinola wants to maintain the way in which the church has corrupted the truth of the Gospel from its original meaning rather than seek to establish the genuine truth in its original meaning. Therefore he is himself guilty of the accusations that Martin Luther aimed at the church so long ago.
The Revd Susan Russell, President of Integrity USA and the Revd Caro Hall, a member of the Integrity Board, met leaders of Inclusive Church and Changing Attitude in London from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 October to develop an integrated strategy for the Lambeth Conference 2008.
Changing Attitude Nigeria, after reading the response from the Episcopal Church House of Bishops, thanks them and welcomes their positive response to the commitment made by Lambeth Resolution 1.10 and repeated by the Primates of the Communion in 2005 and 2007 to listen to the experience of GLBT people in every Province.
There is good news in the House of Bishops’ response as well as some disappointment for LGBT Anglicans. The response will help unite the Communion and further progress towards the full inclusion of LGBT people.
Dr Nolbert Kunonga, bishop of Harare, Zimbabwe, is reported as having made the sensational claim that one of the bishops in Zimbabwe is practicing homosexuality. Revd Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude, said the attitude being adopted by some dioceses in Central Africa will lead to the further abuse of and prejudice against lesbian and gay people.
Changing Attitude Nigeria and England ask Bishop Martyn Minns and Archbishop Peter Akinola to issue a statement immediately repudiating Bishop Orama's comments, condemning them as utterly abhorrent.
Davis Mac-Iyalla expresses surprise that a bishop like Orama uses hostile language about homosexuality and calls people created in the likeness and image of God satanic.
Changing Attitude is nor surprised by today’s revelation that Archbishop Peter Akinola’s letter to the Nigerian Synods was in fact mostly re-written by Bishop Martyn Minns. This confirms our suspicion that the agenda of Global South is to defeat any attempt to overcome prejudice against LGBT people and accept our full inclusion in the church. This agenda is driven by conservative Americans.
Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, commenting on the involvement of Bishop Minns in the Akinola letter, said: “We believe that large sums of money have been received by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) from sources outside the country. When will Archbishop Akinola openly tell the world the sources the money is coming from to sponsor his frequent travels and the alternative Lambeth conference that he is planning in 2008?"
Three members of Changing Attitude Nigeria (CAN) attended the trial in Bauchi on Tuesday 21 August of 18 gay men arrested in a hotel on 5 August. Gorge and Tahir, both gay men, and Ifalade James, a lesbian member of the Church of Nigeria, all reported that the men when, accused of sodomy, denied the allegation.
The leader of the Changing Attitude group in Jos reports that 5 of the 18 gay men arrested at the party in Bauchi last week are members of the CAN group in Jos.
Changing Attitude Nigeria condemns the arrest of eighteen men who have been remanded in prison for alleged sodomy in northern Nigeria.
“It would not be right for the 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held in Nigeria, given the country’s appalling human rights record, including its systematic persecution of lesbian and gay Nigerians,” said Davis Mac-Iyalla, founder and leader of the gay Christian group, Changing Attitude Nigeria.
The judgement issued against the Diocese of Hereford for discriminatoin against Mr John Reaney in not appointing him to the post of Youth Officer is a small but significant step forward for the movement towards the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people in the Church of England.
Canon Akintunde Popoola, Director of Communications for the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has repeated the allegations of fraud against Davis Mac-Iyalla in a comment posted on 7 July 2007 on the web site TitusOneNine. Once again we ask Archbishop Peter Akinola and bishop Martyn Minns to instruct Canon Tunde to stop publishing false allegations against Davis Mac-Iyalla, allegations which have provoked threats to kill Davis.
Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria met the Bishop of Jos, the Rt Revd Benjamin Kwarshie at an Anglican Mainstream meeting at York General Synod meeting.
Canon Popoola, Director of Communication for the Church of Nigeria has repeated false allegations against Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria. In an open letter to Archbishop Peter Akinola and Bishop Martyn Minns, Colin Coward and Davis Mac-Iyalla have requested them to ask Canon AkinTunde to stop publishing false allegations against Davis, allegations which have led to death threats against him.
Changing Attitude England is a founder-member of InclusiveChurch and is committed to the goals and vision of InclusiveChurch. We take very seriously the challenges that have been extended to InclusiveChurch. We are working for a fully inclusive church, for LGBT people, our friends and families, for conservative evangelicals and everyone who has attacked and vilified us because of our sexuality. We do not believe there is any alternative to this radical challenge to the church, a challenge which took our Lord Jesus Christ to the cross.
Changing Attitude England regrets that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has not yet extended an invitation to the Rt Revd V Gene Robinson, bishop of New Hampshire, to attend the Lambeth Conference in 2008. This is a cruel exclusion which serves yet again to remind faithful lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Anglicans that we are not fully included in the church and are repeatedly excluded from the debate about human sexuality.
The meeting this weekend, 11 to 13 May 2007 in Lome, Togo of 35 lesbian and gay leaders from West African Christian groups was a moment of history for LGBT Christians in Africa. The leaders represented groups from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and Togo met with leaders from Changing Attitude Nigeria.
Leaders from the 9 Diocesan Groups in Nigeria have gathered in a hotel in Togo, West Africa, where they have been joined by the Revd Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude England and the Revd Stephen Coles, Vicar of St Thomas, Finsbury Park and member of the General Synod of the Church of England.
Changing Attitude Nigeria receives with gladness the news that Dr Good Luck Jonathan is the Vice-President elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and cautions him not to push for the reintroduction of the bill against same-sex marriages, relationships and organisations that was lost in the last Assembly.
Because of the continuing uncertainty, Changing Attitude Nigeria will not celebrate the defeat of the Same-Sex Marriage Bill publicly until after May 29 but we are now quietly confident and feeling more happy that is has been lost.
Changing Attitude welcomes the work undertaken by Canon Phil Groves to produce a preliminary report on what the Communion has done to honour its commitment to listen to the experience of gay and lesbian people. Our aim is clear. We want a proper process of listening to the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in every province of the Communion.
Changing Attitude England welcomes the statement and resolutions issued by the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church at their recent meeting. We stand with our brothers and sisters in Integrity who have worked tirelessly for the removal of all discrimination against LGBT people at every level of the life of The Episcopal Church and for the authorisation of a rite of blessing for lesbian and gay relationships.
Changing Attitude Nigeria urges world opinion to urgently condemn further progress on Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2006 in the Nigerian House of Representatives. It will make criminals of LGBT people simply for being who they are and we urge all Provinces and Primates of the Anglican Communion to support international action in condemnation of this dangerous and inhuman bill.
Changing Attitude England and Nigeria challenge the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Revd Peter Akinola, and the CANA bishop in the USA, the Rt Revd Martyn Minns, to issue a statement denouncing church members who are threatening violence against Davis Mac-Iyall and ask both the Archbishop and Bishop to unreservedly demand protection for Mr Mac-Iyalla.
Inclusive Church and Changing Attitude give a cautious welcome to the communiqué issued today by the Primates of the Anglican Communion meeting in Dar Es Salaam. We commend the work that the primates have done to further the mission of the church and to strengthen the bonds of the Anglican Communion. In particular we value the progress achieved on the listening process and the Anglican Covenant.
This afternoon, following the first press briefing prior to the official beginning of the Primates meeting on Thursday 15 February, Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria and Archbishop Peter Akinola, Primate of All Nigeria, met for the first time.
Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of CAN, appeals to the Primates in the name of God to add their voices to others who have been calling on the Nigerian Government to stop progress on the bill outlawing LGBT relationships and meetings and withdraw it immediately.
Changing Attitude England is disappointed by the message communicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) members of our society and the Church of England in the letter to the Prime Minister sent by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
Changing Attitude London is delighted to be welcoming Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive of Stonewall, and Kathy Galloway, Leader of the Iona Community, as speakers at their conference ‘Caught in the Crossfire’ this Saturday.
Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, received a hand-written letter delivered on 9 January 2006 to the location where he is resident which concludes with the threat to bathe Davis Mac-Iyalla with acid unless he repents.
A survey undertaken by Changing Attitude since the Civil Partnership Act became law on December 21st 2005 has found that 87 couples - 174 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) members of the Church of England, lay and ordained – have registered their civil partnership. Changing Attitude invites the House of Bishops on this first anniversary of the Civil Partnership Act to dialogue with us and our supporters, to formulate a policy which recognises God’s call to faithful, loving LGBT Anglicans who have, or who wish to, register their partnership.
Changing Attitude Nigeria appeals to everyone who loves our Anglican Communion and supports the Windsor process and the full inclusion of LGBT Anglicans in every Province to help meet our goal of gathering 2,000 members at a second General Meeting in Lagos.
Changing Attitude Nigeria is proud to celebrate the first anniversary of our founding. In the first year, we have many achievements to be proud of, including our impact on the life of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, which had previously denied that lesbian and gay people are members of the church.
Changing Attitude welcomes the nomination of a partnered gay candidate to be Bishop of Newark in the US Episcopal Church, and points out that the Episcopal Church and the Church of England both knowingly appoint gay bishops and clergy.
The launch meeting of Changing Attitude Australia is being held on Sunday 25 June 2006 from 3pm to 5pm at St John’s, Bentleigh, Melbourne, expanding the international network of Changing Attitude groups. A group of thirty two lesbian and gay Christians including eighteen Anglicans, eight Presbyterians and 6 from other denominations has made contact with Changing Attitude England. The work of Changing Attitude Nigeria continues to develop against a hostile Anglican Church background.
The revelation that Bishop John accepted an invitation several months ago to become a patron of Changing Attitude has created a storm in Kenya but the resulting publicity brings information to Kenyan lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Anglican Church members, and to the heterosexual majority.
Esther Mombo, Academic Dean at St Paul’s United Theological College, Limuru, expresses a very different perspective on homosexuality from those of the Archbishop, the Most Rev. Benjamin Nzimbi.
Changing Attitude Nigeria calls on people around the world to support us in putting pressure on the Nigerian Government to withdraw the bill banning same-sex marriage. The bill will make it impossible for any Nigerian bishop to listen to homosexual experience in accordance with commitments made by the Anglican Communion. They will be labelled a supporter of homosexual people and be at risk of prosecution.
LGBT Anglicans will come out, as Lazarus did from the tomb when commanded by Jesus and denounce the iniquitous new law in Nigeria and the obscenity of existing laws under which lesbian and gay people can be sentenced to 14 years in prison, or death.
Two members of Changing Attitude Nigeria have revealed the war that is being waged against lesbian and gay church members by the Church and the effect this is having on their faith and security. Lesbian and gay church members are now living in fear of their lives should their sexual identity be discovered.
Canon Tunde in repeatedly attacking Davis MacIyalla, Direcotor of Changing Attitude Nigeria has given Davis the opportunity to tell his truth to the world and strengthened his reputation. He still fails to address the responsibility of the Church of Nigeria to respond to Lambeth 1.10 and the Windsor Report.
Davis MacIyalla defends lesbian and gay Nigerians against the attack made by the Rt Revd David Onuoha
Changing Attitude has released the text of a letter sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury and others on 14 February 2006. The letter asks the Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in London in March 2006 to address recent events in Nigeria.
Many people from the press in Nigeria and from other countries have contacted Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria asking for comment on the proposed Government Bill outlawing same-sex marriage. Davis has remained silent, praying and thinking about what to say but now has some answers.
Canon AkinTunde Popoola, Director of Communications, Church of Nigeria, issued two press releases on 28 December 2005, making serious allegations against Mr Davis MacIyalla. Changing Attitude makes an initial response.
For the first time in Nigeria’s history, gay and lesbian Anglicans came together at the weekend in Abuja for the first General Meeting of Changing Attitude Nigeria (CAN) and declared that prejudice against them was as “unacceptable as racism or prejudice against women.”
The first General Meeting of the Changing Attitude Network in Nigeria is being held November 25 to 27, 2005. Over 1,000 delegates are expected to gather at the National Art Council in Abuja including 100 lesbian and 900 gay members of Anglican churches from every part of Nigeria.
Changing Attitude is proud and delighted to welcome the Bishop of New Hampshire, the Rt Revd V Gene Robinson, to the UK. Bishop Gene will deliver an address following services at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, and St Elisabeth, Reddish, Stockport. Changing Attitude’s 10th anniversary provides an opportunity for British Christians to meet and hear Bishop Robinson on his first visit to another Anglican Province.
Changing Attitude Nigeria achieved national awareness today by having an article published in the Daily Sun, Nigeria’s national mass circulation newspaper.
Inclusive Communion
(Anglican Communion news – 16/06/2005)
‘It is essential that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are consulted from the beginning, to ensure that the process has integrity as an exercise in listening. The structure must be set up to be accessible to us and appropriate to our own experience.’
Changing Attitude welcomes the passage of the Civil Partnership Bill by the House of Lords. The Revd Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude, said, “This is another major step towards gaining full equality for lesbian and gay people in society.”
The consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire and the nomination of Jeffrey John to be Bishop of Reading were two of the most powerful gay-affirming actions ever taken by the Church. The Lambeth Commission threatens to deny this positive action.
The General Synod of the Church of England today discussed the guide “Some Issues in Human Sexuality”, the most recent report on the Church’s understanding of lesbian and gay people. Of the 15 speakers called in the debate, 10 spoke in favour of a change in the Church of England’s conservative position.
Changing Attitude welcomes the publication today of 'Further issues in human sexuality: A guide to the debate'.
The Revd Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude, said, “From 2nd November 2003 the Anglican Communion is living with a dramatic new reality. Bishop Gene Robinson’s consecration gives the Anglican church it’s first openly gay, faithfully partnered bishop. His ministry will inspire lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual Christians with new confidence that we have a full place at the communion table of our Lord.
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