Church leaders in South Sudan say no to homosexuality

South Sudan Anglican Church head Justin Badi is leading a group of bishops who will be boycotting the Holy Communion at this year’s Lambeth Conference, protesting the invitation of same-sex partners.

Under the aegis of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GFSA), the bishops said they would remain seated in protest of last minute changes to a motion which included Resolution 1.10, a text reaffirming the Christian orthodox view of sexuality, Premier Christian News, a UK-based outlet, says.

Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Conference considers homosexuality as “incompatible with scripture”.

“Sadly, some provinces are adapting some teachings to appear relevant and to make discipleship easier as a way of reversing fast-declining church attendance,” Archbishop Badi said.

“But as disciples, we are not told in Scripture to mould Jesus into ‘our’ image, but to be continually transformed by the Spirit into ‘His’ image.” Held since 1867, Lambeth is a gathering of the bishops of the Anglican Communion and takes place once in 10 years.

Bishops gather at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the ceremonial head of the global Anglican Church, “to pray together, study the Bible, hear the struggles and joys that every experience in their local contexts and address the issues facing the world”.

The fifteenth Lambeth Conference is taking place at the University of Canterbury in Kent and will run to August 8.