Peter Akinola: Who Blinks First?

Biblical Fidelity Against the Gay Agenda in the Global Anglican Communion

Gbenga Gbesan

• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9781725264632
  9781725264649
• eBook ISBN:
  9781725264656
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Christliche Konfessionen

To the astonishment and dismay of Anglican leadership in the Global North, Nigeria's Archbishop Peter Akinola led the Global South's revolt against the campaign to normalize homosexuality within the global Anglican communion. For this, he was twice recognized by Time magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People" on earth. As shepherd of an immense Nigerian flock, he joined arms with like-minded archbishops in Africa, Asia, and South America to insist that the church be guided by the Bible rather than culture. Here is the remarkable story of this conflict, from its social beginnings in nineteenth-century Germany, through the renegade behavior of national churches in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, on to gatherings addressing the issues--from Dromantine, Northern Ireland, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At one point, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who had been enabling the "progressives," challenged Archbishop Akinola, "We shall see who blinks first!" Since that day, it is clear that neither Akinola nor his colleagues have blinked. Indeed, through the formation of GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference) and union with biblically faithful Anglicans in the Global North, they are pressing their cause with an eye toward the next decennial assembly of bishops at Lambeth.

Bibilography

Oral Interviews

Ademo, Ade (2007, October 12). Interview and transcription by Akin Enilolobo. Interview conducted at his OAU Quarters, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.

Ademowo, Ephraim (The Most Rev.) The Archbishop of Lagos. (2007, June 27). Interview and transcription by Akin Enilolobo. Interview conducted at the Archbishop’s Palace, Marina, Lagos.

Adetiloye, Abiodun (The Most Rev.) The retired Archbishop, Primate & Metropolitan, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). (2007, May 28). Interview and transcription by Akin Enilolobo, Interview conducted at his Lekki home, Lagos.

Akinde, Adebayo Dada (The Most Rev. [Prof]), The Archbishop Lagos Province & member Board of Trustees of Peter Akinola Foundation (PAF). (2007, June 27). Interview and transcription by Akin Enilolobo. Interview conducted at Episcopal House, St. Judes’ Cathedral, Ebutte-Metta, Lagos.

Akinkugbe, Modupe Dorcas (Mrs.) Member Board of Trustees, Peter Akinola Foundation (PAF). (2016, September 14). Interview and transcription by the author. Interview conducted through the telephone from Abeokuta with the interviewee in Abuja.

Akinola, Peter (The Most Rev.) Archbishop, Primate & Metropolitan, Church of Nigeria (CON) Anglican Communion. (Various times in 2006 and 2007) Interviews and transcriptions by Akin Enilolobo. Interviews variously conducted in Abuja and Abeokuta. (2011, July 23 & 24) Interview and transcription by author. Interviews conducted at interviewee’s house in Abeokuta. (December 25, 2013) Interview and transcription by the author. Interview conducted at interviewee’s house.

Efobi, Christian (The Rt. Rev.) Bishop of Aguata Diocese. (2007, September 14, 2007). Interview and transcription by Akin Enilolobo. Interview conducted at Osun Diocese Retreat Centre, Osogbo, Osun State.

Karibi-Whyte, A. G. (Hon Justice) Chancellor of Abuja Diocese and later Church of Nigeria. (2007, June 8). Interview and transcription by Akin Enilolobo. Interview at his Lagos home.

Kattey, Ignatius (The Rt. Rev.) Bishop of Niger Delta North Diose, Rivers State & member PAF Board. (2007, September 14). Interview conducted by Akin Enilolobo. Interview conducted at Osun Diocese Retreat Centre, Osogbo, Osun State.

Ogbonyomi, T. E. (The Rt. Rev.) Retired bishop of Northern Nigeria and later Kaduna Diocese. (2007, May 25). Interview and transcription by Akin Enilolobo. Interview at his Kabba home, Kogi State.

Pepple, Ammal (Ms.) Former Head of Service of Nigeria, later minister in the federal cabinet as well as member of the Abuja Diocese. (2007, October 12). Interview and transcriptions by Akin Enilolobo. In Interview conducted at her Mabuchi Quarters, Abuja.

Sonekan, Ernest (Chief) Former Nigeria Head of State. (Date unstated) Responded through a filled-questionnaire submitted by Akin Enilolobo to him at his Lagos home.

Books

Agbaje, A. A. Abiodun Lagos: A Blossomy Tree in the Desert – A Biography of Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye. Lagos: CSS Limited, 2001.

Anglican Communion Office. The Lambeth Commission of Communion – The Windsor Report 2004. London: Anglican Communion Office, 2004.

Asaju, Dapo. In Defence of Christian Orthodoxy (A Collection of Articles). Produced for the Conference of Chancellors and Registrars, Church of Nigeria. Abeokuta: Crowther Theological Publishers, 2013.

Boer, R. Harry. A Short History of the Early Church. Ibadan: Daystar, 1976.

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). Church Year Calendar 2007. Lagos: The Church of Nigeria, 2007.

Fafowora, O. Oladapo. The Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos (1867–2007). Lagos: CSS Bookshops Ltd., 2008.

Gbesan, Gbenga & Akin Enilolobo. In The World But Not of Th...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Chronology Of Events
• Introduction
• The Start of Rumblings in the House
• Trumpet from the South
• A Choice to Make
• Another Heat in the House
• The Last Straw
• A Huge Crisis Looming
• The Last-Ditch Attempt
• Tearing the Communion’s Fabric
• Disgust Across, Within, and Outside
• Lambeth Commission to the Rescue
• Equal Actions and Opposite Reactions
• Africa Comes of Age
• Leadership for an African Renaissance
• Birth of the Homosexuality Campaign
• The Whole World Must Go Gay
• Nigeria Will Not Go Gay
• No Middle Ground Could Be Found
• A Double-Faced Canterbury
• Attempt to Divide and Rule
• A Leader Unwelcomed to the Fold
• The New Sheriff in Town
• The Last Straw
• Enough of the Agonizing Journey
• Who Blinks First?
• Enough of Chaos and Compromise
• Still, No Reprieve
• The Revolutionary Step Forward
• Realignment and Reformation
• Homeward, but Still Not Over
• Back Home to Serve the People
• Anglicans’ New Leader: Justin Welby
• Postscript
• Bibilography