Ugandan families were “facing deliberate attack by different evil forces both from within and outside,” Archbishop Ntagali said

Delegates to the Church of Uganda’s 23rd General Assembly have adopted a ten year master plan designed to promote a “vibrant” spiritual life coupled with pastoral outreach that focuses on the “critical areas of need among the communities.” Meeting from 24-28 Aug 2016 at Uganda Christian University in Mukono, the church’s primate the Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali told reporters at a press conference the plan will be “rolled out” through the dioceses, but the responsibility of meeting the goals of the plan lay with “every member of the Church” along with its overseas friends and development partners. Synod discussed a range of domestic and international concerns, approving the creation of a 37th diocese, Northwest Ankole.. It resolved that 2017 would be the “Year of the Family”. Archbishop Ntagali told the press conference the family was the essential element of society and the “base for a stable community and nation,.” Ugandan families were “facing deliberate attack by different evil forces both from within and outside,” he said citing: “domestic violence, child sacrifice, drunkenness, drug abuse, sodomy and homosexuality, joblessness, poverty, permissiveness, peer pressure and other evils which target the family directly.” He reiterated the church’s opposition to government plans to allow abortion for reasons of population control and economic convenience. “Abortion which is done by one’s choice is against God’s will and the Bible considers it to be murder.” Archbishop Ntagali said the Church of Uganda was also concerned with the influence of foreign governments and aid agencies in attempting to reshape the moral underpinnings of Ugandan society by promoting new sexual ethics. “This programme promotes homosexuality and we are concerned about how it was allowed to be taught in some of our schools,” he said, stating the Church of Uganda calls “its removal and for the government to ensure that all sexuality education materials promote the biblical values of abstinence before marriage, and faithfulness in lifelong marriage between one man and one woman.” Plans for the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the martyrdom of Archbishop Janani Luwum were discussed, with provincial wide activities set for 16 Feb 2017 to coincide with the country’s national holiday. Archbishop Luwum “stood for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and against corruption and injustice. As the Church of Uganda today, we will continue to proclaim the same unchanging message, for ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever’”.