Homosexuality and Spirituality: A digital age missiological dilemma for the Anglican Church in Uganda

Abstract

Homosexuality, an erotic sexual attraction to same sex individuals, has been in existence since ancient days and the lifestyle grows every year that unfolds. Legislations to reverse homosexuality are documented in sacred and political books of history. The underlying forces behind homosexuality are speculative. Voices are calling on political and religious leaders to give space to consenting homosexual adults. European and some Asian countries have scrapped punitive laws but in the Arab world and majority of African countries, punitive legislations are in force to protect the sanctity of traditional families. To the opposing voices, homosexuality is an abomination, unnatural, and human beings associated with such should be caged out of society.  Is spirituality and homosexuality a digital missiological dilemma of the Anglican Church in Uganda? To examine the question, three methods – allegorical, literary, and historical approaches were relied on. Results show that homosexuality is a social construct that is installed in the software system of human beings. Ingrained systems can be uninstalled through spiritual deliverance and psychotherapeutic interventions, however, to the homosexually oriented people, the sexual lifestyle is an innate biological drive, and for that reason, consenting adults should be accorded freedom to express their sexuality publicly. The dilemma facing the missiological mandate of the Anglican Church in Uganda towards homosexual people is that scientists have failed to prove that same-sex attraction erotic drives are inborn.  If such a proof was in existence, then sacred scriptures recorded on the pages of the Bible would have been realigned and contextualized to speak to the Ugandan Anglican church vis-à-vis African social traditions. This article displays the causes of homosexuality, biblical worldview of homosexuality, effects of homosexuality practices, current debates on homosexuality, and a call for Uganda Anglican religious leaders to design missiological programmes that if well implemented, would provide peaceful abode for the LGBTIQA+ community.