By Marie Pfeifer
Retired Anglican Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, who has risked his own life and that of his family as an advocate for gay-, lesbian- and transgender rights, shared his experiences and beliefs at the Adult Forum at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Morristown on Sunday.
In 2007, Senyonjo was relieved of his duties as a bishop in Uganda. “They never formally put me out of the church, but simply took away my duties,” he said.
“Prejudice and homophobia drive drastic measures such as the current laws on homosexuality in Uganda carrying sentences of up to 14 years in prison,” he told the group. In October 2009, a controversial bill was proposed to the Ugandan Parliament that called for broadening the criminalization of homosexuality in the East African country and introducing the death penalty in some cases.
The bill has been temporarily withdrawn, but it is expected to be reintroduced, Senyonjo said.
Currently, more than 80 countries criminalize homosexuality, he said. “They believe it is a crime against God and nature. Their ignorance prevents much needed educational programs that would aid in stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS.”
The way to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, he said, is by decriminalizing “something that people cannot change about themselves, thereby opening the door to education about the spread of HIV/AIDS.”
Redeemer was the last stop on Senyonjo’s latest tour spreading the word and seeking funds to continue his counseling in Uganda of marginalized people. Senyonjo councils not only the gay, lesbian, transgender community but people with addictions, single mothers and HIV/AIDS workers because, he said, he believes God loves everyone. He sees too many young people leaving the church because of discrimination over who they are, he said.
Senyonjo has been able to keep his Kampala-based St. Paul’s Centre for Equality and Reconciliation in Uganda open because of the benevolence of people like the Rev. Cynthia Black, Redeemer rector, and the parishioners at Redeemer, who provided $100 a month for a year to pay the rent, and performer Elton John, who gave a grant for two years for an HIV/AIDS program.
Black asked Mary, the bishop’s wife, “How are you able to continue this work?”
Mary responded: “God called Christopher to do this work, and I believe in God. I did not want to be a stumbling block in Christopher’s life.”
It will take some time for change to occur, Bishop Senyonjo said. “When my church evicted me, I did not feel evicted by God. God loves everyone. There are still many spiritual people.”
“The bishop has a fair amount of support from the bishops in the U.S.,” Black said. “John Cane, bishop in Washington, D.C., raised $11,000 to replace Christopher’s failing car with a new used car. My dream is to help raise money for a library in his counseling center.”
Mary and Christopher Senyonjo are the parents of 10 children and grandparents of eight. Christopher served as a bishop for 24 years and has been counseling people for 10 years. The couple plans plan to return to Uganda and continue to follow Christopher’s calling, counseling people in need and fighting discrimination of marginalized people.
