Ugandan archbishop-elect hopes for united church

Anglican archbishop-elect Stanley Ntagali of Uganda hopes disagreement in the Anglican Communion can be resolved when a successor to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who retires at the end of this year, is elected.

Archbishop-elect Ntagali, 58, was elected in June as the eighth Ugandan archbishop. He succeeds Henry Orombi who will retire in December ahead of the scheduled time.

“We are praying that God chooses a successor (to Williams), who will unite the Anglican Communion. As you know the communion is facing difficulties at the moment. I pray the leader will be evangelical,” he told ENInews after his election.

Archbishop-elect Ntagali will continue to serve as the bishop of Masindi-Kitara, a quiet rural region in western Uganda, until he moves to Kampala city in December to take over his new post. Orombi said the new primate will inherit a vibrant and united diocese. But some observers say the second largest province after Nigeria faces challenges.

According to Anglican bishop Julius Kalu of Mombasa, there is an ongoing discussion and dissent between some churches in the Global South provinces and Canterbury over homosexuality. Some observers see it as a split, though there has been no formal separation on the issue. Bishop Kalu thinks the two sides are likely to come together after a successor to Archbishop Williams is named.

“I would want to see the communion move back to its original way of being together as the body of Christ,” says Archbishop-elect Ntagali.

He says the church will preach the gospel of love, reconciliation and repentance to homosexuals and develop a ministry to cater for those leading homosexual lives.

Archbishop-elect Ntagali says his church will focus on the fact they are “children of God who also have access to God’s grace. We are going to teach them how they can transform their lives and accept God’s will of one man, one woman, and not the other lifestyles. We will spread the gospel of love and explain God’s plan for them,” he said.