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Thank you so much for inviting me to the Synod. I am grateful to the archbishop of Canterbury for his invitation and for all the support we received for many years from the Anglican Communion.
The Anglican communion office has been very supportive in Dialogue with the Oriental Orthodox Churches. I praise God for our friendship with the Coptic Orthodox Church through the dialogue with His Holiness Pop Tawadros and Archbishop Angelos.
The Dialogue with Al-Azhar through an interfaith dialogue started 2001 by Archbishop Rowan Williams and continued through a close friendship of Archbishop Justin and Sheikh al-Azhar HE Dr. Ahmad al-Tayeb. This helped us to inaugurate Christian Muslim Partnership and understanding centre at All Saints Cathedral in Cairo.
I speak as a Global South primate. We in the Global South signed the declaration of faith which contains the following:
In our day, we thank God for those who have stood firm against teachings and practices that depart from the orthodox and historic Anglican heritage from our forebears…We affirm that Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference as the teaching on marriage and sexuality of the Anglican Communion.
One of the clauses of the Resolution states:
This Conference: cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions;
This is the clear view of the GSFA. This is how we understand Scripture, Tradition and Reason of the Anglican Church.
Jesus said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” The Holy Spirit Reminds us of Jesus teaching. How can we understand the teachings of Jesus better than the Apostles and the early Church?
In our understanding of marriage and sexuality there is a red line we will never cross. Crossing this line of blessing same sex unions will alienate 75% of the Anglican Communion and endanger the Ecumenical and interfaith dialogue.
This shift in practices will lead eventually to impaired and broken communion.
We inherited the traditional Orthodox faith of the church of England. Please do not surrender your unique position as the mother Church of the Anglican communion.
It is your choice.
Thank you for listening.
Archbishop Samy Shehata
Primate of Alexandria
For further information or query on GSFA, please email secretariat@thegsfa.org
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