Zimbabwe Anglican church to sever ties with gays: official

HARARE (AFP) — The Anglican church in Zimbabwe Saturday said it will not "stand with homosexuals" at a synod of four southern African Anglican churches in Malawi which is set to revive the issue of gay clerics.

Refering to a diocesan act, a cleric at Harare diocese told AFP that three of the four dioceses in Zimbabwe had "unanimously agreed" to sever ties with dioceses in the Central African province which were in favour of homosexuals.

The Anglican province of Central Africa comprises Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The cleric, speaking on condition of anonymity, said according to the diocesan act, which came into effect on August 4, the Zimbabwe church will "dissociate and sever relationship with any individual, group of people, organisation, institution, diocese, province or people who indulge in or sympathise or compromises with homosexuality".

He said Zimbabwe, along with Zambia and some dioceses of Malawi, will lead the anti-gay lobby at the synod which opens Saturday in Malawi's southern resort district of Mangochi.

There are fears that the Central Africa province would break into three national provinces of Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.

Zimbabwe Anglican church to sever ties with gays: official
AFP