That’s how the American Anglican Council described the Archbishop of Nigeria, Peter Akinola, in awarding him one of their their Kairos Journal Awards. What meets the definition of “extreme pastoral courage” for the AAC and the Archbishop (who’s been at the forefront in the Anglican unrest over the Episcopal Church, and is seen as the likely leader should there be a schism in the Anglican Communion)? Well, here’s some of the latest essay from the Archbishop, printed in Kairos itself.
..To opine that, unknown to humans, God had hitherto created some people to be homosexuals and lesbians (i.e., sexual orientations) is tantamount to creating God in our own image and introducing a cancerous element into the fabric of the African understanding of marriage and family.
Homosexuality and lesbianism, like divorce, breed a society of single parents which gives rise to a generation of bastards. And in the context of much poverty and lack of education, this further produces an ill-bred generation of hooligans, portending much terror to the peace and stability of the society.
Homosexuality and lesbianism thrives on many sexual aberrations and improvisations typical of human selfishness and greed in the name of pleasure and self-actualization.
In a society where many women are finding it difficult to have husbands of their own due to the depletion of men by many factors, homosexuality will exacerbate the existing social disequilibrium, leading to much social unrest.
Granted, the American society as a super-power is in the forefront of human adventure. However, in this case of human sexuality, it is nothing but adventure in ungodliness. For people like Gene Robinson, who was married for years with children, to wake up one morning and discover that they are homosexuals is nothing but adventurous promiscuity and unfaithfulness.
I.e., homosexuality is not created by God; homosexuality creates single parenthood, bastardy, and hooligans; homosexuality is all about selfishness; homosexuality robs women of husbands.
Well, if you define “exceptional pastoral courage” at saying things that’ll torque people off, yeah, I guess that’s courageous. But I suppose he could rant about the Jews and accomplish much the same. And given that he’s got a large audience supporting him in what he’s saying and doing, I’m not sure I’d consider it too courageous.
It’s one thing to let someone slap me “seven times seventy” times. But to let him slap my brothers and sisters and stand by and do nothing is too difficult for me. I can’t imagine how to reconcile with a man like that, nor do I think I really want to.
(via Father Jake)