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Tension in Presbyterian Church over homosexuality

By Myjoyonline.com| Akosua Asiedua Akuffo
General News Tension in Presbyterian Church over homosexuality
OCT 8, 2015 LISTEN

Two Moderators of the Presbyterian Church have been embroiled in a controversy over its relationship with pro-homosexual American Presbyterian Church.

Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey has described the Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches affiliated to the American Presbyterian Church as ‘non- Bible-believing’ and ‘homosexual’.

But his claim has been rejected by the Moderator of the Conference of Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches in North America (CGPCNA) Rev. Yaw Nkansah who insists that the Ghana branch in the USA (PGUSA) operates in line with the values and traditions of Ghana in relation to homosexuality.

Come back to Ghana; Moderator writes to US resident pastor

The misunderstanding between the two Moderators is playing out on the continued stay of the resident pastor posted to New York by the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

The Ghana Moderator Prof Martey wants to withdraw the resident pastor of the Church in New York, Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong Manso and has subsequently written a letter him to return to Ghana latest by December 31, 2015.

Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong Manso who is the immediate past Moderator in Ghana has a two-year tenure in the U.S which has expired.

But Rev. Nkansah who controls the Ghana Presbyterian Church in North America believes the Ghana Moderator wants to recall the pastor because of his fears that his association with the American Presbyterian Church could lead him into accepting homosexuality.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’, the Moderator of Conference of Ghanaian Presbyterian Churches in North America (CGPCNA) Rev. Nkansah alleged that Rev. Prof. Martey threatened to sack some Ghanaian Presbyterian pastors who accepted an invitation to a church programme by the pro-homosexual American Presbyterian Church.

Rev. Nkansah revealed that “we sent some members of our branch to Ghana but Prof. Martey told me the PCG could not host them because our churches are homosexual and non-Bible believing churches”.

Is there bad blood between the two Moderators?

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Rev. Dr. Paul Frimpong-Manso
He said despite the Ghana Moderator's comments of cutting ties with the American Presbyterian Church, Prof Martey has not sent any letter to the church to officially cut ties with it.

He accused Rev. Prof. Martey of double standards because his son is at Delaware University, where he claims that most of the lecturers are homosexuals.

However, the Public Relations Officer of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. George Larbi has debunked all the allegations leveled against Rev. Emmanuel Martey.

“There is no bad blood between Prof. Martey and the immediate past Moderator [Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong Manso] as Rev. Nkansah said”, he to myjoyonline.com.

The PRO explained that Rev Frimpong Manso was transferred to serve at PCUSA but after his tenure ended, the pro-homosexual American Presbyterian Church wrote a letter to the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) to extend his stay.

But the PCG disapproved the decision because of doctrinal differences between them and the American Presbyterian Church, he said.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved the ordination of gay pastors, elders and deacons in 2011, which led to many conservative congregations leaving the denomination.

However, Rev Professor Emmanuel Martey, says they the US Presbyterian church is not a “bible-believing church” and Ghana will have no part in accepting a demonic practice.

“It is only the church...the true church that Satan is afraid of. Satan is not afraid of United States army or any other army. It is only the church…the church of Christ,” he told Joy News.

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