Posted on 08/02/2005 5:14:55 PM PDT by sionnsar
Dr Grant Lilford, a Zimbabwean expatriate, lived in South Africa and in the United States (most recently, North Carolina) for a number of years. He is now the Head of Languages and Literature at Uganda Christian University, where he and his family moved over a year ago (a great gain to Uganda and a great loss to North Carolina!). He corrects a recent depiction of African “Anglican values” in a comment on the ministry of the Church of Uganda with HIV/AIDS in that country, that Church’s witness in the conflict in Northern Uganda and the witness of the Church of Nigeria to justice and mercy:
It is easy, given overseas media coverage, to assume that African Bishops spend all their time discussing homosexuality and that they do not ever do anything else. Little is said about the role of the churches in caring for orphans and widows. The Church of Uganda is involved in a major peace initiative in the North, and provides food, shelter and education to internally displaced people. It also plays a major role in Uganda’s successful Aids prevention initiative even as it cares for people with HIV and Aids. The Church in Nigeria has spoken out about the imposition of Sharia and Sharia’s opposition to Christian ideals of justice and mercy. It has a stronger and more principled stand on the question than do many multicultural liberals in North America and Europe. The same people who would stone homosexuals and unmarried mothers also lynch Christians and destroy Churches. Orthodox Christianity condemns the sin and works and prays for the rehabilitation of the sinner. Saudi and Nigerian implementations of Sharia condemn the sinner, usually to a painful death, more painful if the particular “sin” is “apostacy.”
Archbishop Orombi regularly appears in Ugandan newspapers and in churches and other gatherings throughout Uganda. He travels to all regions, including the north, discusses private and public morality, listens to the people he meets, and proclaims the Gospel. Does the accusation of inaction presume that these Bishops have the power to end the LRA atrocities or the imposition of Sharia. That is not unlike suggesting that the Episcopal Church should have prevented the 9/11 attacks and that it has no interest in terrorism because the New Vision in Kampala did not carry Bishop Griswold’s statement after the attacks.
The African Bishops and churches are far from silent and inactive on the problems that beset Africa. They stand in marked contrast to the “Hello Niger, goodbye Darfur, where’s Rwanda?” attitudes that seem to characterise so many outside observers.
That’s the view from Mukono, Dr Crew.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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