UGANDA: PRIMATE CONDEMNS L.A. BISHOP'S ACTIONS. PARISHES BELONG TO US, HE SAYS

8/23/2004

Statement from the Archbishop of the Province of the Church of Uganda

The Rt. Rev. Evans Kisekka, Bishop of Luweero Diocese, has my full blessing and support in receiving the clergy from St. James Church, Newport Beach, and All Saints' Church, Long Beach, California, USA. These clergy are canonically resident in the Luweero Diocese and are priests and deacons in good standing of the Church of Uganda.

On 20th November 2003, the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda (Anglican) made the following resolutions:

(a) "The Church of the Province of Uganda (Anglican) cuts her relationship and Communion with the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) on their resolution and consequent action of consecrating and enthroning an openly confessed homosexual Gene Robinson as the Bishop of New Hampshire Diocese in the Anglican Communion; and with any other Province that shall follow suit.

(b) "Mindful of the fact that there are a number of Dioceses, Parishes and Congregations in the ECUSA, which are opposed to the resolution and action taken by their Convention and are determined to remain faithful to the teaching of Scripture on human sexuality, to those dear brothers and sisters, we extend our solidarity with them and assure them of our continued prayers."

We have recently concluded the 17th Provincial Assembly of the Province of the Church of Uganda. During that meeting, the Assembly affirmed the House of Bishops' stance of broken communion with ECUSA, and at the same time declared its commitment to, support for, and communion with clergy and parishes of the Anglican Communion Network who seek to uphold biblical orthodoxy and the faith once delivered to the saints.

We condemn any attempt on the part of the ECUSA Bishop of Los Angeles to depose our clergy serving at St. James Church, Newport Beach, and All Saints' Church, Long Beach. He has no jurisdiction over them, and we will not recognize his actions. Furthermore, we appeal to other provinces within the Anglican Communion to recognize our clergy as priests and deacons in good standing.

We are grieved by the continued unbiblical actions of the leadership of ECUSA that have led to its separation from the majority of the Anglican Communion. We especially note that the Bishop of Los Angeles recently presided at the blessing of a same-sex union of one of his priests. We pray for his repentance - and the repentance of all the ECUSA leadership who voted for the consecration of a man in an active homosexual relationship as bishop of New Hampshire - and their return to the historic faith and communion of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.

The Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi ARCHBISHOP OF CHURCH OF UGANDA