Resolutions
from 1998
Resolution I.10
Human Sexuality
This Conference:
a.
commends to the Church the subsection report on human
sexuality;
b.
in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds
faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union, and
believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage;
c.
recognises that there are among us persons who
experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are
members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of
the Church, and God's transforming power for the living of their lives and
the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the
experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are
loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons,
regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;
d.
while rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible
with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally and
sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn
irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any
trivialisation and commercialisation of sex;
e.
cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex
unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;
f.
requests the Primates and the ACC to establish a means
of monitoring the work done on the subject of human sexuality in the
Communion and to share statements and resources among us;
g.
notes the significance of the Kuala Lumpur Statement
on Human Sexuality and the concerns expressed in resolutions IV.26, V.1,
V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the authority of Scripture in matters of marriage
and sexuality and asks the Primates and the ACC to include them in their
monitoring process.
APPENDIX
Resolutions of Sections and Regions referred to in
Subsection (f) of Resolution I.10 (Human Sexuality)
Resolution IV.26 from Section IV
This Conference, noting that no province of the
Anglican Communion has voted to change the traditional ethical teaching on
homosexuality, in order to have and promote credibility with our brothers
and sisters in New Churches and Independent Christian Groups, receives and
recognises the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality as a contribution
of the 'South - South Encounter' to the Anglican Communion.
Note: This Resolution was not voted upon, as the
Conference agreed to pass to next business.
Resolution V.1 from Central and East
Africa Region
This Conference:
(a) believes in the primary authority of the
Scriptures, according to their own testimony; as supported by our own
historic tradition. The Scriptural revelation of Jesus the Christ must
continue to illuminate, challenge and transform cultures, structures,
systems and ways of thinking; especially those secular views that
predominate our society to day;
(b) consequently, reaffirms the traditional teaching
upholding faithfulness between a husband and wife in marriage, and celibacy
for those who are single;
(c) noting that the Holy Scriptures are clear in
teaching that all sexual promiscuity is a sin, is convinced that this
includes homosexual practices, between persons of the same sex, as well as
heterosexual relationships outside marriage;
(d) believes that in this regard, as in others, all
our ordained Ministers must set a wholesome and credible example. Those
persons who practise homosexuality and live in promiscuity, as well as
those Bishops who knowingly ordain them or encourage these practices, act
contrary to the Scriptures and the teaching of the Church. We call upon
them to repent;
(e) respects as persons and seeks to strengthen
compassion, pastoral care, healing, correction and restoration for all who
suffer or err through homosexual or other kind of sexual brokenness.
(f) affirms that it is therefore the responsibility of
the Church to lead to repentance all those who deviate from the orthodox
teaching of the Scriptures and to assure them of God's forgiveness, hope
and dignity.
Note: This Resolution was put to the Conference in the
form of an amendment to Resolution I.10 and was defeated.
Resolution V.10 from the Latin American
Region
This Conference recognises the importance of
strengthening Christian family values, and thereby reaffirms traditional
Anglican sexual ethics.
Note: This Resolution was put to the Conference in the
form of an amendment to Resolution I.10 and was withdrawn by the mover.
Resolution V. 23 from the South East Asia
Region
This Conference receives the Kuala Lumpur Statement on
Human Sexuality with gratitude as an authentic expression of Anglican moral
norms.
Note: This Resolution was not voted upon, as the
Conference agreed to pass to next business.
Resolution V.35 from the West Africa
Region
This Conference:
(a) noting that -
(i) the Word of God has established the fact that God
created man and woman and blessed their marriage;
(ii) many parts of the Bible condemn homosexuality as
a sin;
(iii) homosexuality is one of the many sins that
Scripture has condemned;
(iv) some African Christians in Uganda were martyred
in the 19th century for refusing to have homosexual relations with the king
because of their faith in the Lord Jesus and their commitment to stand by
the Word of God as expressed in the Bible on the subject;
(b) stands on the Biblical authority and accepts that
homosexuality is a sin which could only be adopted by the church if it
wanted to commit evangelical suicide.
Note: This Resolution was put to the Conference in the
form of an amendment to Resolution I.10 and was defeated.
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