St. James backed by archbishop in Uganda

Deepa Bharath

An African archbishop on Monday lambasted the Episcopal Church for

its liberal attitude toward homosexuality and condemned the bishop of

Los Angeles for his refusal to allow two churches, including one

here, to secede from the Episcopal Church.

St. James Church on Via Lido and All Saints Church in Long Beach

disassociated themselves from the Episcopal Church last week and

placed themselves under the Diocese of Luwero in the Anglican

Province of Uganda.

Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, who heads the Diocese of Los Angeles,

criticized the churches’ move and sent a letter to Anglican church

leaders in Africa telling them he would not release the churches,

saying they rightfully belong to the Episcopal Church. In a letter

read during Sunday services in all churches under the diocese, Bruno

said clergy members of the two churches would be deposed if they

didn’t return to the Episcopal Church.

But the churches now come under the Diocese of Luwero, and Bruno

has no authority over them, the Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi,

archbishop of the Church of Uganda, said in a statement.

“We condemn any attempt on the part of the [Episcopal Church]

bishop of Los Angeles to depose our clergy serving at St. James

Church, Newport Beach and All Saints’ Church, Long Beach,” Orombi

said. “He has no jurisdiction over them, and we will not recognize

his actions.”

The archbishop also requests in his statement that other provinces

within the Anglican Communion recognize clergy in these two churches

as priests and deacons in good standing.

The Diocese of Los Angeles has seen the archbishop’s statement,

but did not wish to comment, media director Janet Kawamoto said.

No one has approached the diocese from either church saying they

want to return to the Episcopal Church, she said.

“We haven’t had anyone come to us yet,” she said. “But we’ve had

many calls supporting the bishop saying that the churches shouldn’t

have broken away.”

Orombi goes on to make strong statements about the Episcopal

Church’s endorsement of same-sex marriages and its appointment of an

openly gay minister as the bishop of New Hampshire, calling the

action “unbiblical.”

“We pray for [Bruno’s] repentance and the repentance of all ...

who voted for the consecration of a man in an active homosexual

relationship as bishop of New Hampshire and their return to the

historic faith and communion of the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic

church,” the archbishop said.

He also pointed out that the Ugandan Church passed a resolution in

November severing its relationship with the Episcopal Church after

the appointment of Gene Robinson as bishop.

But Praveen Bunyan, pastor of St. James Church, maintained that

despite the archbishop’s statement on Monday, St. James did not

secede because of the debate over homosexuality.

“Our main point of difference is and has always been acknowledging

Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior and remaining faithful to the

scriptures,” he said.

Orombi’s statement is a reflection of how Anglican churches around

the world look at the Episcopal Church, Bunyan said.

“It’s clear from the archbishop’s statement that the bishop has no

authority over us,” he said. “It’s like saying a member of one church

can’t change his mind and join another church if he doesn’t feel

comfortable in that church. How can someone be punished for making a

choice about what they believe in?”

The Episcopal Church’s canons or laws apply only to those within

its fold, Bunyan said.

“Once we have disassociated from them, those canons don’t apply to

us,” he said. “We’re just not a part of them anymore.”

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at

deepa.bharath@latimes.com.