Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has again made its position public on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQI) controversy, condemning, without equivocations, their gradual infiltration into human culture and practice.
According to the Dean, Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Dr. Blessing Enyidah, the Holy Scriptures and the entire body of Christ unreservedly frown at homosexuality and related unnatural sexual orientations,
Archbishop Enyindah clarified the stand of the Communion on the issue during the just concluded 2024 “Communicators and Media Officers Conference” of the church held at the Ughelli Diocesan Christian Centre, Ogoni-Olomu in Delta State.
Speaking on the “Structure and Doctrine of the Church of Nigeria”, the Dean who is also the Bishop of Ikwere Diocese in Rivers State said, “Against the back-drop of the Scriptures and Church of Christ, the Anglican Church in Nigeria has repeatedly condemned and rejected LGBTQI and all homosexual acts”.
He explained that the Church of Nigeria became autonomous from the Church of England on February 24, 1979, adding that today the Church of Nigeria has 161 Dioceses,14 Provinces and the North American Mission.
Earlier in his presentation on, “The Diocesan Communicator: Leadership, Spirituality, Accountability and Diligent Service”, the General Secretary, Church of Nigeria, Ven.Dr. Paul Dajur, defined what he said was the core role of the media in the church.
He stated that communication was not only a critical phenomenon in human activities but was also an indispensable tool in the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Ven.Dr. Dajur therefore charged communicators and journalists in the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, to always make their messages clear, consise and very penetrating.
Speaking on the “Portrait of a Media Coordinator”, the venerable said that as an appointee of the bishop, a media coordinator should have the mastery of bridging the gap between the Diocesan and the parishioners through a positive reportage of events.
Encouraging media coordinators on how to make the best of their callings, the General Secretary said: “You must be godly communicators. Be rest assured you have wider platform than the priests in the preaching of the Gospel. You must therefore be trusted conduit of dissemination of the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.
He further charged them: “You must also learn how to be vibrant communicators within their dioceses, be voice for the voiceless, demonstrate high level of humility and above all, be susceptible to corrections”.
While challenging the communicators to endeavour to be improving themselves continuously, especially in the areas of writing and public speaking, the Ven Dr Dajur, enjoined them to always be open to criticism as well as humbly subject themselves to be edited, reminding them the virtue in properly accounting for any money given to them.
By:[ Alphonsus Nweze and Ndubuisi Emedosi In Ughelli]
