Source: Times (London)
The Anglican bishops of the Church in Uganda are to boycott the Lambeth Conference in protest at the liberal direction the Anglican Church is taking on homosexuality.
The province, which has more than 30 bishops, joins Nigeria in boycotting the ten-yearly gathering, which takes place in Canterbury this summer. The diocese of Sydney in Australia has also decided not to attend.
A similar announcement was expected this week from Kenya, also a member of the Commonwealth, but the post-election violence there has postponed the decision until later this year.
Rwanda will also stay away, meaning that nearly a quarter of the Church's 880 bishops worldwide will be absent.
Instead most of the dissenters will attend a "rival" Global Anglican Future conference organised by conservative evangelicals in Israel in June.
Although the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has not invited the openly gay Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson, in an effort to appease conservatives, many African bishops are still refusing to turn up because Williams has invited the US Episcopal bishops who took part in his consecration in 2003.
Uganda bishops join other African prelates in boycott of major Anglican meeting [contd.]
In a statement, Archbishop Orombi said: "The Primates of the Communion have asked the American Church to halt further consecrations of practising homosexuals and ceremonies for the blessing of same-sex unions. Regretfully, The Episcopal Church has continued to bless same-sex unions, in ceremonies that were presided over, among others, by two Bishops."
Referring to north America, Alison Barfoot, assistant to the Archbishop of Uganda for international relations, said: "The way the Anglican Communion has tried to address how one province in the Communion could move forward and make such a change without wider consultation has also involved issues around Anglican identity and authority."
A Lambeth Conference spokesman said that he was unaware of the boycott and could not comment. He said: "We have not received any official notification of any action by the Church of Uganda concerning their attendance at the Lambeth Conference."
The General Synod of the Church of England gave its backing yesterday to the new Anglican covenant, a document that some hope will unite the warring factions of the Church.
Provinces that sign up to the covenant will be expected to refrain from from actions such as gay episcopal ordinations or the consecration of bishops that transgress established boundaries. They will, however, retain their traditional authority, because the covenant will not be legally binding.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams said the covenant was about "self-giving". He said: "You can say that a covenant relationship between Christians is a promise to be willing to be converted by each other. I think that works ecumenically and in the communion as well."
Full article: Uganda bishops join boycott of Lambeth Conference over gay priests -Times Online