African Anglican bishop Ndungane pleads for acceptance of gays

[Ian David]

February 11, 2007
International Herald Tribune, France

BISHOPSCOURT, South Africa

In times of turmoil, Njongonkulu Ndungane, the Anglican archbishop for southern Africa, has a favorite spot: a wooden seat that encircles a massive fruit tree in his garden at the foot of Table Mountain. He calls it his thinking bench.

Perhaps never before has he had so much use for it. The global Anglican Communion, of which his province is the oldest African member, is teetering on the brink of schism over the issue of homosexuality. A global meeting of church leaders next week in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is shaping up as perhaps the biggest confrontation yet between branches that condone gay clergy and same-sex unions and those that reject them as a violation of Scripture.

Ndungane, who succeeded Archbishop Desmond Tutu just over a decade ago as head of southern Africa's four million Anglicans, is pleading for acceptance. In Tutu's mold, he argues for a broad-tented church in which believers of varying stripes live in harmony.

"The marks of our church are grace, tolerance and living with difference," the 65-year-old cleric said at the church's whitewashed estate outside Cape Town. "We need to make a distinction between issues that are fundamental to the faith and second-order issues. This is not a church-dividing issue."

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[BayCityProgressive]

1. South Africa

is such a beacon of light for the world. they are against all forms of imperialism and have stuck a finger in Bush's eye many times. They also have one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. The leadership of the government alliance (trade unions, ANC, and S African Communist Party) has been moving the country in a progressive direction.

[Ian David]

2. I never would have imagined how far they would come when I was in High School

We studied South Africa, and had anti-apartheid speakers visit our school.

I never imagined that not only would South Africa be free within my lifetime, but that they would also make us look backward by comparison.

[BayCityProgressive]

3. the rights of

gays are protected in their constitution. The only nation in the world with this clause. They legalized gay marriage and now there is a debate int he ANC on how to deal with the banks because the banks are giving people 20 yr loans for housing and the ANC think that the banks interest rates should be cut in half to make the loans even less than 20 yrs. In the US many are using 40 yr loans now.

[xchrom]

4. i can't tell you how much i appreciate what bishop ndungane says about acceptance of gay folk --

but it's time for the communion to move on.

we cannot forever be stuck repeating and sniping and arguing over -- women priest, gay and lesbian marriage equality -- restrictions at the communion table.

the chruch will survive a split -- and the liberal arm of the chruch can focus on the things it wants to grow -- like the millenium fund and cutting poverty in half by 2015 and the conservatives can stew in their hate.