Gafcon chairman criticises York Minster

THE CHAIRMAN of Gafcon, the Most Rev Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop of Kenya, has written criticising York Minster’s welcome to the Pride march there.

In a pastoral letter to supporters of the global renewal fellowship he unfavourably contrasted York Minster’s witness to the faith against that of the “members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church” in the wake of the shooting at the church that left nine dead.

On 25 June, Dr Wabukala wrote that the “true Christlikeness” of Emanuel AME Church, “which has been no stranger to persecution in its past, was summed up by a victim’s relative who faced the gunman in court and said, ‘I forgive you and my family forgives you. Repent and give your life to Christ’,” he said.

He further noted that Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali had testified to the strong faith of “Christians who have gone through terrible suffering at the hands of the Islamic State.”

Bishop Nazir-Ali found “surprisingly high morale and that, despite great poverty, the church run camps, have worship, medical and educational provision and these are open to all.”

Dr Wabukala contrasted this faithful- ness to what he saw as a shallow and perverse faith on display at York Minster. He noted that a canon of the cathedral offered God’s blessing, and by extension God (and his church’s approval) of a “‘Gay Pride’ march of homosexual activists from the Minster steps.”

He cited with approval the remarks of one York clergyman who observed: “York Minster’s leading the way in the Gay Pride march is symbolic of what the Church of England’s leadership is doing generally on this issue – leading people away from the clear teaching of the Bible and the Gospel.”