In this statement, the Diocese of Harare, reflecting the position of all other Anglican Dioceses within the CPCA would like to clarify our stance on homosexuality.
Firstly, the Anglican Church of The Province of Central Africa values the teaching of the Bible and the Harare Diocese, in its vision and mission, categorically states that “it will pursue teaching, preaching and living the Word”. Whatever the Church believes in and does is therefore within the confines of the Bible, and not informed by human standards and speculation.
On marriage, the Church follows the concept of marriage union as instituted by God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:24). Marriage is between a man and woman. This is emphasized in Genesis 1:27-28 where such Marriage is expected to produce off springs.
The Church also emphasizes, as stated in God’s original plan that the marriage should be monogamous, one man, one wife and one woman, one husband (Matthew 19:4-6). Any marriage institution outside this arrangement is not recognised, solemnised or blessed by the Diocese and any individuals indulging in such unions may be subject to various forms of Church censure, including ex-communication, once discovered.
The CPCA does not really understand how Kunonga and his followers got to know of the existence of homosexuality within its ranks. Because, truthfully, during his time as the Anglican Diocese of Harare (CPCA) bishop, he never spoke so passionately about this subject, which he now claims exist within Zimbabwe’s Anglicans.
For the record, Kunonga and his coterie of followers only started mentioning this after realising that they will never have easy access to Church funds and other significant resources, and so devised a scenario that prepared him for his departure from the Anglican Communion, using homosexuality as a smokescreen.
The over publicised “homosexuality” issue is not even a topical matter within the diocese as it is non- existent, and has never been solemnised. It is only in the minds of people like Dr. Kunonga who misrepresents this as an issue within the Anglican Church (CPCA).
One wonders whether it is not a problem haunting his own conscience, and by extension his newly formed religious institution. If this is the situation, Kunonga cannot continue to ignore it and it is time he addresses his own problem without dragging other people into it.
The CPCA has a proud record to maintain. It is professionally run. It has clear rules and regulations, enshrined in the Canons and Constitution of the Province of Central Africa and Diocesan Acts. It does not act on hearsay but on substantiated facts.
The CPCA is saddened that Kunonga has constantly fed wrong, malicious and misleading information to the structures of the Government of Zimbabwe, and the media, about the correct situation in the Anglican Church regarding homosexuality. What he has sought to do is to gain political mileage out of a non-issue among genuine Anglicans. He knows that.
The question that begs an immediate answer is why, after launching unending criticisms of the CPCA, in particular to the Head of the Anglican Diocese of Harare, very few people have paid attention to his rhetoric. Instead it is common knowledge and evident that the CPCA commands a huge following and it is evidently growing at alarming levels despite the ongoing persecution of clergy and laity.
Our position as the Anglican Diocese of Harare (CPCA) is clear that we do not tolerate homosexuality at all costs and we do not intend to compromise on this. Arguments by Kunonga and those he seeks to mislead that homosexuality has been accepted elsewhere within the Anglican Communion are irrelevant and have no place in our Zimbabwe context and the CPCA, covering Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Post published in: News