09/07/2007
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has denounced as unchristian a statement demonizing gays and lesbians that was allegedly made by a Nigerian bishop and published by United Press International (UPI).
In a statement released by the Anglican Consultative Council’s press office on Sept. 7, Archbishop Williams expressed “deep shock” at remarks made by the Bishop of Uyo, the Rt. Rev. Isaac Orama. The Nigerian bishop has denied making the remarks attributed to him.
A Sept. 2 report widely circulated by UPI the same weekend that three former Episcopal priests were consecrated Anglican bishops for the United States was based on a News Agency of Nigeria article in which Bishop Orama was quoted in part saying: “Homosexuality and lesbianism are inhuman. Those who practice them are insane, satanic and are not fit to live because they are rebels to God’s purpose for man.”
Archbishop Williams said that such comments were “unacceptable and profoundly shocking on the lips of any Christian” noting that the “primates, along with all other official bodies in the Anglican Communion, have consistently called for an end to homophobia, violence and hatred.” The statement noted that Archbishop Williams has asked the Primate of Nigeria, Archbishop Peter Akinola, for an explanation.
A spokesman for the Church of Nigeria, Archdeacon Akintunde Popoola, told The Living Church the quote attributed to the bishop was false.
The Bishop of Uyo “denied making such a statement,” Canon Popoola said. While the bishop’s address to his diocesan synod did speak to the issue of human sexuality dividing the Communion, and the Church of Nigeria’s position on these issues, “he did not say that [gays and lesbians] are to be hated, nor that they are insane or unfit to live.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reporter has “apologized for the misrepresentation and promised a retraction,” Archdeacon Popoola told TLC.
(The Rev.) George Conger
11 September 2007 at 11:43 pm
I have known the Rt Revd Isaac Orama to be a decent, spirit-filled and bible based man of God. A son of respectable Clergyman, Ven Jason Orama.He cannot make such statements.
Those fighting the Church of Nigeria, is battling with the Lord. It is my prayer that this should stop. Our beloved Primate Dr Akinola, Rt Revd Minns has been demonised by the Espicopal Church of the USA and now Rt Revd.Isaac Orama.
We shall not be moved! We remain faithful to the teaching of Christ as enshrined in the Bible
13 October 2007 at 6:29 pm
It is very certain that a particular section of Anglicanism (TEC & co) is gone off the rail. The Word of God does not change.
The Archbishop of Canterbury believs in line with TEC, so DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME TRYING TO HAVE HIM AS A LEADER. He does not hold on to historic evangelical doctrines. He doesn’t even know what the Bible say so as to stand by it!
20 October 2007 at 1:51 pm
When a newspaper or wire service makes a mistake, they issue a retraction. Reporters don’t issue an apology; that’s not their role. Someone made a decision to publish what they wrote, and thus the newspaper itself apologizes. We’ve seen nothing of the sort regarding these remarks. We have only Tunde Popoola’s assertion that the reporter apologized.
As inflammatory and dangerous as these remarks are, saying a category of people are “unfit to live,” one would expect that they would have been denounced by the Nigerian Church and Bishop Orama himself immediately upon publication—but it didn’t happen that way at all. We have never seen a quote from Orama since his alleged remarks were first published. Furthermore, the Nigerian Church waited until the Archbishop of Canterbury’s “profound shock” statement was issued almost a week later, at which point Nigeria went into damage control.
Popoola’s claim that the reporter apologized is simply not credible. Show us Orama so we can judge his denial, let other witnesses come forth (these were public remarks) and let them be questioned by independent reporters.