In April, GAFCON announced a loss of confidence in Archbishop Welby due to his support for the blessing of same-sex unions in churches. Photograph:( Reuters )
Expressing his deep concern, Archbishop Justin Welby wrote a letter to Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, the Primate of Uganda, expressing his "grief and dismay" regarding the stance of the Church. "There is no justification for any province of the Anglican Communion to support such laws: not in our resolutions, not in our teachings, and not in the Gospel we share"
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has made a resolute appeal to the Anglican Church of Uganda to denounce the newly enacted anti-LGBT law in the country. The Archbishop emphasised that Anglicans worldwide should not endorse legislation that contradicts the fundamental Christian principles taught in the Gospel.
The law, which was approved by President Yoweri Museveni in May, imposes severe penalties for engaging in same-sex relationships.
In Uganda, gay sex is now punishable by life imprisonment. Additionally, "aggravated homosexuality," which includes the transmission of HIV, carries the death penalty.
Also read | Identifying as LGBTQ in Uganda can lead to life in jail and even death sentence
The introduction of this legislation has sparked widespread concern and condemnation from human rights activists and organizations globally.
Expressing his deep concern, Archbishop Justin Welby wrote a letter to Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, the Primate of Uganda, expressing his "grief and dismay" regarding the stance of the Church.
He emphasised that no province within the Anglican Communion should support such discriminatory laws, as they contradict the resolutions, teachings, and the very essence of the Gospel shared by Anglicans worldwide.
"There is no justification for any province of the Anglican Communion to support such laws: not in our resolutions, not in our teachings, and not in the Gospel we share."
Archbishop Welby acknowledged the historical context of colonial rule in Uganda and reassured that his appeal was not an attempt to impose Western values on the Ugandan Anglican community.
Instead, he emphasised that his intention was to remind "them of the commitments we have made as Anglicans to treat every person with the care and respect they deserve as children of God."
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As per Reuters, the Archbishop had previously expressed gratitude for the anti-gay law's enactment, claiming that homosexuality was being imposed on Uganda by "foreign actors... who disguise themselves as human rights activists".
He argued that such acts went against the religious and cultural beliefs of the Ugandan population.
The Church of Uganda, which represents approximately 36 per cent of the country's 45 million inhabitants, has been at the forefront of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), a conservative group within the Anglican Communion.
In April, GAFCON had even announced a loss of confidence in Archbishop Welby due to his support for the blessing of same-sex unions in churches.
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