Today the Anglican Communion Office has published two further announcements:
Appointment of Anglican Communion Secretary General: Statement from ACC Chair
The full text of this is reproduced below the fold.
Response to misrepresentation of remarks: Statement from the Rt Rev Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon
Statement from the Rt Revd Josiah Idowu-Fearon responding to misleading stories concerning a sermon in 2014 and an interview in 2007:
In Benin on Sunday 23rd March, 2014 at St. Mathew’s Cathedral where Knights and their wives were being admitted, I encouraged them to continue to uphold family values in their homes bringing up their children as Christians in order to make a difference in their society. I then went on to challenge the National Assembly, comparing corruption with homosexuality that they had just criminalized. I wished the National Assembly had spent all that time and energy to criminalize corruption rather than homosexuality which is not damaging the Nigerian society as is corruption.
I have never supported the law in Nigeria that criminalizes the gay community and I will never support it. The Church is called to love and protect everyone without discrimination, ‘love the person but hate the sin” whatever the sin may be, corruption, sexual sins of all kinds, misuse of power or anything else.
In this I believe I am affirming the position of the Anglican Communion in Lambeth 1:10.
In a Dallas interview in 2007 the question was about the Bible and culture. I did say by way of explanation that the West brought the Christian Faith to us and our forefathers embraced the faith finding it corroborated our view on marriage. Today, the same West are telling us that the position has changed. To the African, that is confusing, hence the difficulty between the Western church and the African church.
Again, my position is clear. For the majority of African Christians, the Bible judges culture, including African culture. As African Christians we must accept other cultures and the way they also understand the Bible’s relationship with culture. I accept and promote a culture of respect for such differences.
The Rt Revd Josiah Idowu-Fearon
Statement from the Rt Revd James Tengatenga, Chair of the Anglican Consultative Council, regarding the appointment of the Rt Revd Josiah Idowu-Fearon as new Secretary General of the Anglican Communion:
The Panel set up for the appointment of the new Secretary General of the Anglican Communion acted with due diligence and was unanimous in appointing the Rt Revd Josiah Idowu-Fearon.
The Communion is in need of leadership at the ACO from the majority world, a situation that is long overdue. Bishop Josiah has demonstrated in his life and in his person the integrity required of the position and the fact that he is African also demonstrates the recognition of the place of Africa in the Communion.
The Communion is called to move on and we consider that Bishop Josiah is a gift to all for facilitating this movement into the fullness of the Communion’s witness in a divided, broken world. There is more than one issue to address and while some may question his suitability, many in the Communion from different convictions on the issues and both sides of the Atlantic Ocean can vouch for his integrity and commitment to reconciliation.
As I said at the announcement of his appointment, it is Bishop Josiah’s experience in this context and commitment to the life of the Anglican Communion that commends this appointment at this challenging time in our life together.
In responding to the appointment of Rt Revd Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon as Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, some have drawn attention to an article in a Nigerian newspaper concerning an address he gave in Benin on Sunday 23 March 2014.
The article misrepresents and distorts his comments in the sermon in which he challenged the National Assembly on the time and energy spent in criminalizing homosexuality and not the corruption that damages Nigerian society. The views attributed in the article to Bishop Josiah do not reflect what is widely known to be his position, both within Nigeria and amongst those who know him.
In a statement today he said:
“I have never supported the law in Nigeria that criminalizes this community and I will never support it. The Church is called to love and protect everyone without discrimination, ‘love the person but hate the sin’, whatever the sin may be, corruption, sexual sins of all kinds, misuse of power or anything else.”
It is well known that Bishop Josiah holds a conservative view on sexual relations outside of traditional marriage and holds to the commitments expressed in Lambeth 1:10. Through his involvement in the Windsor Report and the wider life of the Communion he has sought to be a bridge builder and interpreter between different cultures and views.
This is the context in which an interview in Dallas in 2007 should be read. As someone who seeks to assist understanding he has in his statement affirmed his commitment to this task:
“For the majority of African Christians the Bible judges culture, including African culture. As African Christians we must accept other cultures and the way they also understand the Bible’s relationship with culture. I accept and promote a culture of respect for such differences.”
May the “Way of the Cross” we walked yesterday remind us what the Church is about. May we listen to where the Spirit of our crucified saviour is leading us. Now is a moment of decision.
The Rt Revd James Tengatenga
Chair, Anglican Consultative Council
The appointment of Nigeria, Most Revd Dr Josiah Atkins Idowu-Fearon as the next Secretary General of the Anglican Communion is making headlines among Anglican bloggers. Many are expressing concerns about comments attributed to him by the Nigeria media. I know Josiah will find time to clarify those comments attributed to him and I am not his defender but Jesus teaches us not to bear false witness that’s why I will say what I know that the man Most Revd Dr Josiah Atkins Idowu-Fearon is not a homophobic person and I believe that he does not support LGBT criminalization legislation in… Read more »
Colin Coward has written about this matter on the Changing Attitude blog, here are the links:
First
Bishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon appointed next Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Office
http://changingattitude.org.uk/archives/8468
And later
Bishop James Tengatenga issues Statement about new Secretary General of the Anglican Communion
http://changingattitude.org.uk/archives/8474
In his blog, Jesse Zink, part of whose ministry has been in bridge building over a number of these issues, makes some helpful points.
Thanks for yours too, Davis.
http://jessezink.com/2015/04/03/the-tengatenga-ing-of-josiah-idowu-fearon/
It does seem unfortunate that the subtleties of the sermon were not apparently recorded accurately in the newspaper report about which there has been much comment. Another report on the sermon says that “the Most Reverend Josiah Idowu Fearon, called on Christians, especially the new knights to put on the amour of truth and righteousness in order to be able to fight the ills in the society. He noted that in a world that was being ravaged by the threat of moral and spiritual decadence, especially the spreading evils of homosexuality, injustice and extreme wickedness, Christians were supposed to be… Read more »
I know it is some time ago, but is it actually true that Rowan Williams was so concerned about Bishop Josiah’s homophobia that he wrote a pastoral letter connected to it?
That’s what the Tablet is implying here, isn’t it?
http://archive.thetablet.co.uk/article/4th-december-2004/39/anglicans-hold-summit-on-gay-rift
Was that misreporting?
This Blog seems to be morphing into the Southern outpost of “What’s in Kelvin’s Head”
Easter Blessings to the Provost of Glasgow and to all who read and contribute to Thinking Anglicans.
Easter Gratitude to those who manage and maintain such an informative, controversial and lively Blog.
THE LORD IS RISEN
“The Communion is in need of leadership at the ACO from the majority world”
The majority world? The world has all sorts of majorities: any person, or group of persons, may be in the majority by one criteria, and in a minority by another. Some specificity of the “majority” here is necessary, to understand the point being made.
” I did say by way of explanation that the West brought the Christian Faith to us and our forefathers embraced the faith finding it corroborated our view on marriage. Today, the same West are telling us that the position has changed. To the African, that is confusing, hence the difficulty between the Western church and the African church.” – Bishop Josiah – In his explanation, here of the influence of the early English Christian missionaries, Bishop Josiah is saying that – although the Church of England may have changed its tune with regard to homosexuality, the African Churches are… Read more »
The following extract from a report in ‘The Tablet’ on 04 December 2004, does sound pretty explicit, about the new Secretary-General of the A.C.C.’s views on homosexuality:
“A Nigerian archbishop, Josiah Idowu-Fearon, has said that homosexuality is on a par with adultery, fornication and armed robbery, while Peter Akinola, Primate of Nigeria, has called it an “aberration unknown even in animal relationships”.
This cannot augur well for the Anglican Communion – unless, of course, Bishop Josiah now publicly dissociates himself from his former remarks.
Thank you, Kelvin. This is all very helpful, especially when the statement from the Chair of the ACC seems to be brushing Josiah I-F’s previous statements under the carpet. True, he may have been quoted out of context in the Benin address last year. But this is not the only occasion in which he appears to have taken a line on homosexuality which is at odds with the Lambeth resolution you cite. I think it is going to take more than this statement from James Tengatenga to reassure many provinces of the Communion that this is a good appointment. I… Read more »
Please remember the Gafcon Primates are coming to London in a week (with the purpose of embracing their schismatic pals at the Church of England, Ireland/etc)…this appears to me to be both good and bad thing.. only politics vs. honorability know for sure. (between us, I think I’ve seen enough C of E ¨rearranging of truth¨ to last a lifetime).
Thank you, Leonardo, for your reminder of the imminence of the GAFCON Meeting in London. Will this be the beginning of a takeover bid for the soul of the Anglican Communion? If so, count me out. I shall continue to be an Anglican in Aotearoa/ New Zealand.
Christ is risen, Alleluia! He is risen indeed!
Greetings Well I can clear up one thing. Majority world is the commonly used term for what was referred to as the third world. The rationale being that referring to a group of countries by the representation of the number of people in their grouping was a little more kind than referring to them as third class world citizens etc. I think the Bishops viewpoint on homosexuality seems pretty clear, he classes the act itself as a sin, and states ‘love the sinner, hate the sin’ but doesn’t deem it as worse than what he labels other sins such as… Read more »
Χριστός Ανέστη! Αληθώς Ανέστη! I was wondering what folks on TA had to say about this. Upon scrutiny, I am finding A. A concern about human rights. Although Bishop Idowu-Fearon generically claims to have been misquoted, he hasn’t specifically addressed the quote that the laws criminalizing LGBT people is “a good thing.” B. In interviews and articles, we find an extensive amount of homophobia that goes far, far beyond “hate the sin, love the sinner.” C. He viciously attacks TEC as arrogant and whatnot for elevating +Gene. And stated that dealing with our female PB was a problem. D. He… Read more »
Bishop Idowu-Fearon keeps casting his position in terms of opposing one particular Nigerian law. Which could easily be opposed (by some) simply for its remedy — because it’s too draconian, it goes too far in the punishment it would mete out.
So let’s take it to the level of general principles.
Some enterprising journalist should ask Bishop Idowu-Fearon a very simple question: Do you, or do you not, support the criminalisation of homosexuality?
This appointment is a setback for the Anglican Communion which in its present weak and fragile state it cannot afford. The best thing the Bishop could do for the health of the institution would be to withdraw. Endorsing the infamous Lambeth Conference resolution 1.10 twenty years after it was passed, as the single most damaging act in the history of the Lambeth Conference, is not going to fix this. But short sighted obstinacy and fear of loss of face on the part of those responsible for this error of judgment will probably prevent them from taking a step back now.… Read more »
For all of us who might still be chary about this appointment; it serves to remember that Bishop Josiah was once an Archbishop in the Nigerian Anglican Church. However, he was demoted by noted homophobe Archbishop Akinola. Was that because of some undisclosed sympathy – on the part of the new Secretary-General – for homosexual people?
Perhaps we will need to look again at this Bishop’s true beliefs about homosexuality. Just sayin’
It may strike some as surprising, but despite everything, I don’t want to think of Bishop Idowu-Fearon as irredeemable. It seemed like Bishop Tengatenga is good on human rights, he was endorsed by +Desmond Tutu as I recall. And Bishop Idowu-Fearon did respond seemingly positively to a request by the Episcopal Women’s Caucus to “work on his LGBT relations.” It would be good to hear from his heart where he is now, and if he’s willing to dialogue. However, if he continues to equate LGBT people with adultery, stealing, and lying, and continues to antagonize 2.1 million Episcopalians, then it… Read more »
Interesting to read the arguments and to observe the different ways people line up. But it seems sufficiently clear that the appointment of this bishop is part of an ongoing effort to maintain a ‘hard’ version of the Anglican Communion and that that process, linked as it is to some extent to the continuing imposition of a convervative view of homosexuality, puts the present leaders of the C of E at odds both with a majority of their own people and with an even greater majority of the population at large. At which point, the pieces by Michael Gove and… Read more »
You raise a great point, John. The way through is mutual respect for difference, because the West, South Africa, and much of Latin America are just not in the same place as these hardliners who are seeking a way to impose their hard line on others. I can’t imagine that TEC will leave the Anglican Communion. We move slowly and kick the can down the road. We haven’t even voted on the Covenant yet! If we get tossed out, my guess is that all will come back together in God’s time, because hate really isn’t sustainable, no matter how well… Read more »
I share the concern that others have about any reference to Lambeth 1998 1.10. That said, if he will live up to the sections broadly ignored in much of the Communion – “We commit ourselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;” and “calls on all our people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence… Read more »
@ Marshall Scott: The fact, Mr Scott, is that in large swaths of the Anglican Communion, leadership (and the laity, taking cues from their leaders) have show so much hostility toward gay people that they don’t dare expose themselves so that they can be assured by fellow Christians that the are “all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, (and) are full members of the Body of Christ.” Rather, they have ample reason NOT to believe that they will be “ministered (to) pastorally…irrespective of sexual orientation.” In fact, leaders in those swaths of the communion seem not even… Read more »