Anglican bishops from Kenya and four other African countries will not attend the church’s biggest meeting, the Lambeth Conference, due to differences over same-sex relationships.
The meeting is held in London every 10 years.
The church’s top decision-making organ, the synod, which brings together the clergy, laity and bishops from 39 sees, said Thursday Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Nigeria will also not attend.
Addressing journalists after a two-day meeting at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, Anglican Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi said different dioceses and provinces from the West will also boycott the conference, which starts on July 16 and ends on August 4.
The Kenyan church, Archbishop Nzimbi said, will however not secede from the larger Anglican community in protest against consecration of gay bishops and marriages.
The Anglican church boasts a membership of 77 million worldwide.
“We want to pass a message that we stand for Anglican ideals by not attending the Lambeth conference. During the last meeting, we resolved that marriage is between man and woman. Some provinces have neglected this and even consecrated a gay bishop,” the archbishop said.
Unlike Tanzania’s Anglican church which is against consecration of women as bishops, Archbishop Nzimbi said Kenya had not made a decision on the matter adding, “we need to pray and think about it.”Women have, however, been allowed to serve as deacons and priests in the Anglican Church of Kenya.
Archbishop Nzimbi said although the church was against consecration of gay bishops, gays had a right to attend church.
“That it is their lifestyle that we are saying no to. We should be what God intends us to be,” Archbishop Nzimbi said.
The consecration and moves by some provinces to allow gay marriages have threatened to split the Anglican Church right down the middle. Region’s bishops shun Lambeth
