By Allan Reeder
Lambeth Conference Communications

Conservative bishops are keeping up the pressure for the Lambeth Conference to take a stand against the ordination of practicing homosexuals.

A group of nine senior church leaders has released the text of a letter distributed to every bishop at the conference at the mid-point in the three-week conference.

"Lambeth must call for a suspension of both the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of same sex relationships, linking this measure with maintenance of our biblical standards for all clergy," the letter states.

The nine church leaders are: Archbishop Joseph Adetiloye of Nigeria, Archbishop Harry Goodhew of Sydney (Australia), Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Archbishop Donald Mtetemela of Tanzania, Archbishop Patrice Njojo of The Congo, Archbishop Livingstone Nkoyoyo of Uganda, Archbishop Moses Tay of South East Asia, Bishop Daniel Zindo of The Sudan, and Presiding Bishop Maurice Sinclair of the Southern Cone (South America).

The 'Midpoint Letter' was distributed in the lead-up to the main Lambeth debate on sexuality scheduled for Wednesday 5 August.

In the letter, the bishops tell their colleagues that a "crucial question is how we relate to the modern globalising culture . . . (and) whether we are in danger of allowing this culture with its philosophical assumptions, economic system, sexual alternatives, and hidden idols to determine what we become."

While "in no way neglecting other areas of concern, we must clearly reaffirm our historic teaching and discipline in relation to marriage and to celibacy in the single state," the letter states. "At the same time there must be renewed respect, pastoral care and healing for all affected by whatever kind of sexual brokenness."

Voices of developing nations

In an interview later, Archbishop Goodhew said the letter came from concerns by bishops from developing nations that their voices weren't being heard during the conference. Archbishop Goodhew said some bishops from developing countries "aren't always happy with our synodical processes and don't always feel they get the chance to speak the way they would like to speak."

The bishops' letter also supports moves at the Lambeth Conference to "find ways of strengthening our instruments of unity so that our provinces may effectively be accountable to each other."