Pastoral Response to ST Article "Anglican leader on gays
and marriage", published on 8th August 2008
Some of you may
have read the
article, “Anglican leader on gays and
marriage” published in the Straits Times (ST) on 8th August 2008.
It is necessary that the following clarifications be made to
address any possible concerns, confusion or misperception.
The ST article
was a report on the news by The Times (UK) on 7th August 2008,
which was released almost immediately after the conclusion of the
Lambeth Conference on 3rd August. It is regrettable that these
letters, written in private correspondence some eight years ago,
gives the impression that it is a fresh statement of the
Archbishop of Canterbury’s views. His theological viewpoints on
this issue were not
totally
unknown in the public arena then.
Whatever his
personal views may be on the subject, the Archbishop has since
made a press statement on 8th August which states, “I wish to make
it plain that, as I have consistently said, I accept Resolution
1.10 (which views homosexual practice as incompatible with
Scriptures) of the 1998 Lambeth Conference as stating the position
of the worldwide Anglican Communion on issues of sexual ethics and
this as providing the authoritative basis on which I as Archbishop
speak on such questions.” As the ST article rightly reported, the
Archbishop of Canterbury “recommitted the Anglican Communion to
its orthodox position” at the recent 2008 Lambeth Conference.
The Diocese of
Singapore, in its teaching on biblical faith and order, is firmly
committed to this orthodox position on sexual ethics. I need to
express as clearly as I possibly can; that what the church here
believes (in essential beliefs and moral ethics) needs to be
taught and upheld personally and
publicly
by
all
our
clergy, lay leaders and members of the Diocese. While we can
continue to discuss the pastoral challenges on the ground, we need
to remain
faithful to the teaching of the Church
by virtue of the trust committed to us by the Lord
and our love for our fellow human being
We believe and
hold that the Bible is clear and authoritative in bearing witness
to God's will regarding human sexuality; namely that sexual
relations are to be expressed only within the life-long union of a
man and a woman in holy matrimony. All forms of sexual
promiscuity, including homosexual practices, between men or women,
as well as heterosexual relationships outside marriage are
incompatible with the divine vision and design of human life. The
Bible describes
them as sinful practices that are contrary to God’s good purposes.
They dehumanise God’s image in humanity and need to be repented
of. At the same time, we hold that there is divine grace of
forgiveness, healing and transformation for all who repent of
homosexual or other illicit forms of sexual practice. We
do
not
condone inhuman and unsocial acts against
homosexuals nor do we discriminate against them. Rather, we extend
to them God’s love, compassionate ministry and true freedom
through Jesus Christ.
As part of the
worldwide Anglican Communion, we have consistently registered our
commitment to the Church’s historic and orthodox teaching on human
sexuality, as contained in the
Kuala Lumpur’s Statement on Human Sexuality
(1997) and
Resolution I.10 of Lambeth Conference
(1998). Consequently,
we together with our fellow-Dioceses in
the
Province of Southeast Asia have
declared that our communion with The
Episcopal Church (TEC) of USA is impaired, following TEC’s
ordination of a man in active gay relationship as a bishop in
2003. To date, he is not recognised as a bishop by either our
Church or the Communion. Also, our Diocesan
stand on human sexuality is fully consonant with the
National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) Statement on
Homosexuality published in July 2003.
The Anglican
Church of Singapore as part of the “one, holy, catholic and
apostolic” church believes that it is duty bound to discharge a
divine trust and to express life-authenticating love for our
fellow-man and woman by holding to the pattern of life (including
matters of sexual ethics) as prescribed in the Bible and
ministering to all who are broken and marred by sin with the grace
of Jesus Christ. We remain fully committed to the well-being of
our society which has been built on time-tested values, including
the sanctity of marriage and the holistic bonds of the family
institution, both of which are greatly at risk today.
The Most Revd Dr
John Chew
The Bishop of Singapore
The Diocese of Singapore (Anglican)
15 August 2008
