TANZANIA: Rwandan bishop and six others refuse to take holy communion with the head of the U.S Episcopal church

The spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans reminded his bishops of the need for humility on Sunday (February 18, 2007). It was a veiled rebuke of the infighting in the church over gay clergy and same sex unions that threatens to tear it apart. The Eucharist was celebrated as the Anglican bishops meet this week in Tanzania to try to resolve a long simmering row over the U.S. Episcopal Church's consecration of openly gay bishop Gene Robinson in 2003, which has pitted the liberal minority against a conservative majority. Absent from the service was the leader of the second-biggest Anglican province, Nigeria's conservative Archbishop Peter Akinola, who, with six others, refused to take holy communion with the head of the U.S. Episcopal Church on Friday (February 17). An official blamed illness for Akinola's absence. Akinola and five other bishops snubbed Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first elected female leader of an Anglican province, in protest of her unwavering support for Robinson's elevation and same sex unions. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams stressed the importance of sharing holy communion, but at least one archbishop, Rwanda's Emmanuel Kolini, was seen refusing to on Sunday. Friday's boycott was led by Anglican leaders belonging to a group called the Global South, whose congregations in poor countries are growing rapidly. Reading the Bible more literally, they have joined forces to expand their influence against liberal trends often associated with the affluent West. "Bishops say many words to one another just as they say many many words to you," said Williams. Akinola, who calls homosexuality an "aberration" has organized a parallel conservative movement, rallying traditionalist parishes on Jefferts Schori's turf. Williams, who has admitted he fears losing control of the debate, urged Anglicans to open their eyes to suffering felt by "minorities of one kind or another" in a sermon that also commemorated the end of slavery. "And we pray that God keeps our eyes open as we resolve to remember those things let us ask God to make us a sign of hope in the world," Williams added. Most archbishops in Africa, home to more than half the world's Anglicans, say ordaining gay clergy flouts Biblical commands. But, liberals argue the Anglican church in its 450 years of history has traditionally embraced diverse views.

ITN Source | February 18, 2007

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