London (Reuters) – The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has issued a heartfelt plea to the Anglican Church of Uganda, urging them to reject the country’s newly implemented anti-LGBT law. The law, signed by President Yoweri Museveni in May, imposes severe penalties, including life imprisonment for gay sex and the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” which includes transmitting HIV.
In a statement released on Friday, Archbishop Welby, the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, expressed his deep “grief and dismay” at the church’s stance. He addressed Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, the Primate of Uganda, emphasizing that supporting such laws contradicts the Christian teachings of the Gospel.
“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,” stated Archbishop Welby firmly.
However, Archbishop Kaziimba, in support of the new law, claimed gratitude, asserting that homosexuality was being imposed on Uganda by “foreign actors” disguised as human rights activists. He argued that such acts contradict the religious and cultural beliefs of Ugandans.
The Anglican Communion, consisting of millions of individuals across 165 countries, has long been divided on matters regarding the ordination of gay clergy and attitudes towards same-sex marriage. The Church of Uganda, with approximately 36% of the country’s population identifying as Anglicans, has been actively involved in the conservative group known as the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
The strained relationship between Archbishop Welby and GAFCON was further highlighted in April when the group expressed a loss of confidence in him due to his supportive comments on the blessing of same-sex unions in churches. However, Archbishop Welby emphasized in his statement that his intentions were not to impose Western values on their Ugandan Anglican counterparts but rather to remind them of the Anglican commitment to treating every person with care and respect as children of God.
The clash between religious beliefs, human rights, and cultural norms continues to shape the discourse surrounding LGBT rights in Uganda. As the Anglican Church navigates these challenges, the world watches closely to see how these tensions will be resolved and how the Church’s stance may impact the lives of the LGBTQ community in Uganda.
In summary, Archbishop Justin Welby’s appeal to the Anglican Church of Uganda, urging them to reject the anti-LGBT law, brings the spotlight onto the intersection of religion, human rights, and cultural beliefs in the country. The ongoing divisions within the Anglican Communion regarding LGBTQ issues highlight the complexity of navigating these sensitive topics within a global religious organization. The outcome of this struggle will have far-reaching implications for both the Anglican Church in Uganda and the LGBTQ community as a whole.
