GHANA CHURCH CUTS TIES WITH US CHURCH OVER HOMOSEXUALITY

The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has cut ties with the US Presbyterian Church because of its support of gay and lesbian clergy.

In a posting on its Facebook page on Friday, the PCG listed the decisions taken at its 11th General Assembly.

Among them, was the statement: “The Assembly decided to sever relationship with any partner church that ordained homosexuals as ministers and allowed for same sex marriages.”

The American Presbyterian Church voted in May to allow openly-gay people in same-sex relationships to be ordained as ministers, elders and deacons.

The Ghanaian church’s latest move affirms its anti-gay stance: In August it was reported that it is planning to set up gay “rehabilitation” centres across the country.

Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey, Moderator of the PCG, told Joy Online that “we will let them go through a vigorous spiritual exercise and if it is spiritual, it will come out, they will be free”.

There are growing concerns that Ghana is becoming increasingly intolerant of its gay and lesbian citizens.

Sexual contact between men is illegal, although the law has rarely been enforced thus far. In June, it was claimed that Ghana’s Bureau of National Investigations is investigating “the growing rate of homosexuality” in parts of the country.