Anglican Church of Kenya
Head Office
Statement on Anglican Consultative Council 16, Lusaka
It is a matter of regret that this Church’s delegation to the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) in Lusaka has been encouraged to disregard my spiritual counsel and attend this meeting.
In January, the Primates meeting at Canterbury agreed to curtail the participation of the Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC) in Communion bodies for a period of three years in view of its formal adoption of same sex ”˜marriage’.
The provisions of this resolution, and the Primates’ authority to make it, have been rejected by Bishop Tengatenga, the Chairman of the ACC. As a result, the Provinces of Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and most recently Jerusalem and the Middle East announced that they could not attend.
Despite my public statement and my personal direction to them, the Kenyan delegation has informed me of their intention to be present, with air tickets purchased for them and assignments already given.
It seems that the rejection of the moral and spiritual authority of the Primates by the ACC Chairman, without public rebuke from the Archbishop of Canterbury, has become infectious and is encouraging further breakdown of godly order in the Communion.
The underlying cause of this particular problem, which is just one symptom among many, is the doctrinal confusion that has been allowed to take root in the Communion. The GAFCON movement, of which I am Chairman, is committed to the deep healing of the Anglican Communion by restoring the Bible to its rightful place among us and I remain entirely committed to that great cause.
The Most Revd Dr Eliud Wabukala,
Archbishop of Kenya and Bishop, All Saints Cathedral Diocese, Nairobi
6th April 2016
This reflects the continuing ecclesiological problem for GAFCON. In its desire to avoid open schism (with which I sympathize), the existing structures of the Anglican Communion continue to enjoy a singular standing. I’m a bit surprised that the Archbishop doesn’t add that the delegates do not represent the Province of Kenya, but perhaps that’s implicit.
Ah, one has to wonder what else was purchased besides the tickets, doesn’t one?
The purpose of TEc to undermine is here exposed in truth.
It is now being reported at Anglican Ink that someone wrote a letter to the delegates, saying the archbishop had changed his mind and allowing them to participate, and forged the Archbishop’s signature. The report states the letter was posted for some hours on the Church of Kenya website.