Archbishop of Canterbury urges Anglican Church of Uganda to reject anti-homosexuality law

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The archbishop of Canterbury has urged the Anglican Church of Uganda to reject the country’s new anti-homosexuality law. Archbishop Justin Welby says the Anglican Church of Uganda’s support for the legislation was a “fundamental departure” from the global Anglican movement’s commitment to protect the dignity of all people. Welby is the spiritual leader of worldwide Anglican Communion. He said Friday that he wrote to Ugandan Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba to express his “grief and dismay” over the Ugandan church’s position on the law. Uganda’s president last month signed legislation that includes the death penalty for sexual relations involving people infected with HIV and up to 20 years in prison for anyone convicted of “promoting” homosexuality.