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RWANDA: Liberals' 'satanic behaviour'
Church of England Newspaper
August 24, 2007
RWANDA will not be bullied into compromising its position on gay bishops and blessings, the Bishop of Shyira, John Rucyahana, told the state radio service last week.
The Agence Rwandaise d'Information reported that the Anglican Church in that East African nation would not "be pushed into adopting the satanic behaviour of the 'whites because they are whites'," and accept the innovations of doctrine and discipline surrounding human sexuality advocated by the American Church.
It is the Americans who have "abandoned the faith, the law and doctrine of the churc h. They also do not believe in the teachings of the Bible", Bishop Rucyahana said on Aug 14 to a nationwide radio audience.
The liberal western churches 'do not conform to the religious conduct of the Anglican church' because it is they who have "ordained homosexuals as bishops not Africans."
The West had 'never been challenged by African believers,' he said, arguing that the present turmoil arose "because we remained faithful to the biblical teachings and instead challenged them about their conduct."
Bishop Rucyahana's strong words follow a statement released last month by the country's bishops objecting to Dr Rowan Williams' decision to withhold invitations to the 2008 Lambeth Conference to that Church's American missionary bishops while inviting bishops to Lambeth who had participated in the consecration of Gene Robinson, the Bishop of New Hampshire.
Dr Williams' invitation policy had been 'divisive' they said, and his words were 'tantamount to a threat, and we cannot accept this'. Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda and Sydney have publicly voiced protests over Dr Williams' invitation policy for the gathering of the Communion's bishops next July in Canterbury and may boycott the conference in protest. Dr Williams' options have also been limited by the left as well, with some bishops privately stating that if the ban on Gene Robinson is not lifted, they will not attend either.
Dr Williams meets with the US House of Bishops from Sep 19-21 in New Orleans. The Bishops have been asked to respond by Sept 30 to the united demand of the Primates that the Episcopal Church makes its position clear on gay bishops and blessings.
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