GAYS SPOIL PARTY FOR PRIEST

By Evelyn Kwamboka NEWS FOCUS

February 10, 2004

The move by the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) to block the ordination of one of their own by a bishop from the pro-homosexual church in the US has again brought to the fore the sharp split in the church.

The Kenyan deacon was stopped from graduating to priesthood by the ACK - simply because the ceremony was to be presided over by a bishop from the United States' pro-gay Episcopal Church. The church is well known for backing gay bishops like Gene Robinson.

The latest controversy started in Los Angeles, US, when an ACK deacon cleared the first phase of his theological studies.

The deacon is said to have called Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi to get the Kenyan church's blessings, which the prelate promptly gave. The deacon then prepared himself for the Feb. 1 ceremony. But it was not to be.

According to the ACK provincial secretary, Bishop William Waqo, Primate Nzimbi decided to investigate the matter.

"The archbishop gave the go-ahead simply because he did not know that it was the pro-gay bishop who was to preside over the ceremony," he said.

When Nzimbi discovered that a bishop from Robinson's church was to ordain the Kenyan, it took him a minute to cancel the ceremony at the 11th hour.

"The archbishop called the deacon and asked him to call off the ceremony immediately," said Waqo.

Sources told the East African Standard that the cash-for-prayer bishop Peter Njoka travelled to the US to represent the archbishop, only to find that it was to be presided over by one in Robinson's camp.

Njoka is said to have called the archbishop immediately to cancel the ceremony.

Waqo said the church's stand was very clear: Had it been a church that is not in support of the gays, Nzimbi would have approved.

"The archbishop refused because we are not in fellowship with those in support of gay bishops," he added.

Waqo declined to give the deacon and bishop's names, saying "he had forgotten".

He said of the deacon: "He agreed to step down and continue with phase two of his theology studies, then he will come back home to be ordained," he said.

Since the gay issue brought a sharp division in Anglicanism, deacons, priests or bishops studying in the US or Britain have to inform the Kenyan church of who is to ordain them.

Anglican members, bishops, deacons or priests visiting the two countries are allowed to go only to churches recognised by the Kenyan House of Bishops.

"For them to be ordained, they have to choose from the list of Anglican Churches we have given them (anti-gay)," he said.

And Waqo did not mince his words. Had the ceremony taken place as earlier planned, the deacon would not have been allowed to serve as a priest in Kenya.

All Saints Cathedral provost, the Rev Peter Karanja, said it was difficult for the church to give the deacon's identity as he would be associated with the gay bishop.

Last year, Robinson - a divorced father of two who has since lived with his male partner since 1989 - openly became the first gay bishop, a move that brought a sharp division in the world of Anglicanism.

Robinson was quoted in a section of the international media saying he knew a good number of gay bishops, both in the US and abroad.

"There are enormously gifted Episcopal priests around this church who are gay and lesbians who would make wonderful bishops and they are going to be nominated," he said.

However, sources at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, said the House of Bishops decided to treat the matter confidentially.

END