Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit on Saturday, February 11, led the Anglican faithful in Kenya in rejecting a resolution by the mother church in England to bless same-sex marriages.
In a statement shared by Ole Sapit, ACK’s clergymen in Kenya agreed in unison that the new resolution was contrary to the church’s principles and a departure from its commitment to the teachings of Christianity.
Whilst acknowledging the importance of the Church of England in guiding its principles, the clerics asserted their disapproval of the resolution noting that it was “extra-biblical” and misleading from the church's way of doing things.
In its judgment, ACK attributed the resolution to the rise of liberal Churchmanship within its members in the west. The statement noted that the Anglican faithful had been influenced by secular thinking in the western world hence the "deviation" from the traditions.
“We affirm that marriage, as taught in the Holy Scriptures is between one man and one woman, monogamous and heterosexual. Any deviation from this God-designed covenant relationship is sinful and unacceptable," the statement read in part.
Further, the ACK vowed to stand in solidarity with Anglicans in England who dissented from the resolution. The Kenyan Chapter of the Church of England committed to praying for the church, in general, to ensure its values are maintained and adhered to.
“We encourage and stand in solidarity with those marginalized Christians in the Church of England who resolved to remain faithful to the Gospel of Christ and seek obedience to the teachings of the scripture in all its entirety," the statement added.
The decisions by ACK came a day after the Church of England, through its General Synod - its law-making body, approved a proposal to bless same-sex marriage in an intense voting exercise in London.
However, the Synod noted that individuals would be allowed to make their stances on the resolution.
Subsequently, clerics in Kenya convened a meeting to deliberate on the resolution and make suggestions on the direction to take, which they did in rejecting the move from London.
