By William Madouk Garang
Proposed same sex-marriage law adopted by some churches has been categorically rejected by the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA).
Bishop Justin Badi, the Primate of Episcopal Church of South Sudan said they have refused to sign gay-marriage law after his return to Juba on Tuesday from Lambeth conference held in United Kingdom, England.
“On behalf of the people of South Sudan, I have raised my voice that we cannot accept same sex practice within the Anglican Communion and within the church,” Badi told journalists yesterday.
“I have spoken on your behalf, I have told the world that we should embrace biblical authority within Anglican Communion to live our lives and to order our faith in accordance to the Bible,” he added.
In the Lambeth meeting themed ‘God’s Church for God’s world’ many things were discussed but the contentious issue was the topic on whether to legalize same sex behaviour or not.
“There are parts of the world that they have accepted with their governments but I have told them to repent, [however] there are parts of the world where they still respect biblical authority, we have mobilized them to be together and continue to tell the world about the sin of the world,” Rt. Rev. Badi narrated.
Furthermore, Badi said he has also preached to the world the authentic gospel calling the world for repentance so that the wrath of God may not come on these generations.
The ECSS Primate in Juba also serves as the chairman of Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches – GSFA, a grouping of 25 provinces which make up 75 percent of the Anglican Communion.
Last month, orthodox bishops refused to take Holy Communion with gay bishops at Lambeth Conference in Canterbury.
The once in ten years, Lambeth conference – is an international event that aimed to share in worship, prayer and debate on key concerns affecting the lives of their communities around the world.
The conference in 1998, resolved that a marriage is between one man and one woman and sex outside marriage is unbiblical.
Conversely, in the just concluded conference, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby informed delegates that some provinces have welcomed the same sex marriage after careful theological study.
However, social media had surfaced with a claim that South Sudan Anglican church led by Justin Badi, were compelled to sign Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender policy (LGBT) in Lambeth Conference.
“That is false there is nothing like that. In every organization, in every meeting when you reach the venue, you have to register your names and other things, that is what happened,” Badi refuted the allegations.
“It doesn’t mean that we were forced but we were registered for the meeting to receive all the stationary and to have our rooms that is what happened. Nobody was forced to do anything,” he clarified.