Two Anglican Archbishops with two distinctive agendas for the Anglican Communion met at the enthronement of the new Ugandan Archbishop the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and Archbishop Foley Beach, Primate of the ACNA and GAFCON chairman found themselves on the same stage, but Welby found himself eclipsed by Beach who preached and stole the show from his English rival.
It was a humiliating moment for the titular head of 85 million Anglicans who found the enthronement occasion of an African Primate taken from him by an archbishop he does not recognize as authentically Anglican.
Welby had earlier in the year told Beach that he was welcome to the Lambeth Conference as an “observer”, as though he were a bishop with leprosy, tolerated if he had taken his daily dose of Dapsone. But Kaziimba is squarely on board with Beach and he and his fellow bishops will boycott the Lambeth Conference precisely because Welby has ignored the mandate of Lambeth resolution 1:10 to discipline errant Western bishops over their adoption of sodomy and homosexual marriage.
But here in the Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala, all eyes were on the two major players – the new Ugandan Archbishop and Archbishop Foley Beach.
And preach up a storm they did.
Archbishop Kazimba Mugalu started his tenure in a colorful ceremony at the cathedral by making fresh vows never to accept homosexual marriages in the church.
He said the Church in Uganda would continue to emphasize heterosexual marriage as the lifelong, exclusive bond between one man and one woman for procreation as reflected in the Bible.
“…the trend in the Western world and some Anglican churches in those contexts are being pressured into doing this, including our mother church of England. But for us in Uganda, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” said the prelate shortly after receiving the episcopal authority from his predecessor Stanley Ntagali, who retired at 65 years.
One wonders what was going through Welby’s mind hearing this.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was present in his capacity as the Primate (senior Archbishop) of all England but he has no authority over the Church of Uganda and his presence was not required for a new Archbishop of Uganda to be installed.
Welby might have gotten a good photo op with the president of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, but his presence by the Ugandan Church was much less encouraging.
Guest preacher ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach described Archbishop Kaziimba’s enthronement as a historic occasion and commended the Church of Uganda for its faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“You have been a bright light for the world. You said no to disobeying the word of God, you said no to immorality, many wish their leaders would be like you…thank you for your boldness and your example,” Archbishop Beach told the congregation.
One wonders what Welby was thinking when he heard these words. His own Church is deeply conflicted over immoral homosexual behavior.
Beach asked Archbishop Kaziimba to show love, care and always sacrifice for the flock.
“As leaders we have to go to the people, care for them, love them, and help them. Share everything with them. We are called to be servants, do justice. My brother Stephen, this is what we are called to do…sacrificial, steadfast love. Your challenge is to remain committed to God’s promise and be steadfast,” said Archbishop Beach, who is also the chairman of the GAFCON Primates’ Council.
It was reported that the Church of Uganda was deeply concerned about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s support for homosexuality and same-sex unions. Welby has consecrated a homosexual bishop in England, invited homosexual and lesbian bishops to the upcoming Lambeth conference, and promotes the recognition of same-sex unions in the church, schools, and society. For these reasons, the Church of Uganda House of Bishops will not be attending the Lambeth Conference.
Bidding farewell to the Anglican faithful of the Church of Uganda at All Saints Church Nakasero last week, Archbishop Stanley Ntagali reiterated that the Church would not be intimidated into accepting same sex marriage.
“We cannot follow the teaching of the liberals of the West, which have told us the Bible is the book of the past and that men can marry men, and women can marry women. We are saying no to that liberal teaching …we have said no to same sex marriage and we shall continue to say that until Jesus comes back.”
On the first day of his succession Kaziimba said the Church faced different pressures within Uganda such as polygamy, early marriages and domestic violence which, he said, undermined God’s plan for holy marriages.
“There is even incest and bestiality. These are not God’s ways. I invite people who are cohabiting to put their marriage right before God by making marriage vows and putting on wedding rings. These are not Satanic as some heretical teachers put it, they are equally God’s way,” he said.
The new archbishop further vowed never to accept or support abortion as a method of birth control and asked the Anglican faithful to promote life rather than destroy it.
END
By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
March 3, 2020
