May 26, 2010
By Matthew Davies

The bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa are calling on their government to take measures to secure the release of Stephen Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, a gay couple who were recently sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in Malawi after they shared a traditional ceremony of engagement.

"We call on our president and government to lobby the Government of Malawi at every level ... to press for the swift release of these two individuals, who have committed no act of violence or harm against anyone; for the quashing of the sentence against them; and for the repeal of this repressive legislation," the bishops said in a May 26 statement.

Monjeza and Chimbalanga were given the maximum sentence following a May 20 verdict from a magistrate's court in Malawi, where same-sex relationships are illegal. The two men were arrested in December after their engagement ceremony.

"Though there is a breadth of theological views among us on matters of human sexuality, we are united in opposing the criminalization of homosexual people," the bishops said. "We see the sentence that has been handed down to these two individuals as a gross violation of human rights and we therefore strongly condemn such sentences and behavior towards other human beings. We emphasize the teachings of the Scriptures that all human beings are created in the image of God and therefore must be treated with respect and accorded human dignity."

The bishops also expressed their "deep concern at the violent language used against the gay community across sub-Saharan Africa, and at the increased legal action being taken against gay individuals, communities and organizations."

Not all southern Africa church's are opposed to the sentence, however. The Rev. Levi Nyondo, general secretary of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, told Ecumenical News International: "As a church we don't support homosexuality or same-sex marriages. That is both un-African and un-Christian. We are happy they have been sentenced to 14 years in jail."

Throughout the rest of Africa, many churches are also strongly opposed to homosexuality, particularly in Uganda where the Anglican province has supported government legislation to strengthen criminal penalties against it.

But the Southern Africa bishops said in February that they were "disturbed" by the proposed Ugandan bill that, if passed, would introduce the death penalty for people who violate portions of that country's anti-homosexuality laws. The bishops called on all Christians "to stand up against this bill so that its provisions do not become law in Uganda or anywhere else in the world."

In their May 26 statement, the bishops concluded that "it is immoral to permit or support oppression of, or discrimination against, people on the grounds of their sexual orientation, and contrary to the teaching of the gospel; particularly Jesus' command that we should love one another as he has loved us, without distinction (John 13:34-35). We commit ourselves to teach, preach and act against any laws that undermine human dignity and oppress any and all minorities, even as we call for Christians and all people to uphold the standards of holiness of life."

Episcopal News Service
Matthew Davies is editor and international correspondent of the Episcopal News Service.