'It does not affect us!' Methodist Church Nigeria dissociates self from approval of same-sex marriage

The Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN) has dissociated itself from the position of the British Methodist Church, on the approval of same-sex marriage.

The proposal to allow gay marriages was passed on Wednesday at the Methodist conference in a vote with 254 in favour, and 46 against.

Reacting to the decision at a briefing on Friday, Samuel Uche, MCN prelate, assured members that the UK church’s decision does not affect the Nigerian church, since it had already gained autonomy.

The prelate said MCN condemns same-sex relationships and that anyone caught practising it would be expelled from the church.

“There’s a raging controversy now and people’s spirits are dampened over the decision of the British conference to legalise same-sex marriage. This is for the British church. The British Methodist Church is no longer the mother church of Methodist Church Nigeria. Methodist Church Nigeria became independent, autonomous in 1963. Therefore, any decision they take there is not binding on Methodist Church Nigeria,” he said.

“We’re not under their tutelage, and we’re not under their administration. We as Methodist church Nigeria condemn in totality anything same-sex relationships, gay marriage. It is unAfrican; it is even against the law passed by the national assembly of Nigeria which was duly signed. And even when they pressed the present president to reverse it, he said ‘no’. So, it is not practised by Africans.

“We believe in the sound doctrine as promogated by John Wesley. John Wesley believed in scriptural holiness, and evangelical faith. So, we believe in the holiness of God. God is holy and God said the man and the woman shall be one. God made them man and woman, not man and man to marry. We adopt in totality what the Bible says.

“What the British church has done does not in any way apply to Methodist Church Nigeria. I want Nigerians to understand this; there is no cause for alarm. Let them continue worshipping God in spirit and in truth. If anybody is discovered to be contemplating to practise same-sex relationship, that person will be excommunicated from the church. That is our stand.”