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South Africa's Anglican bishops take first step toward LGBT inclusion

South Africa’s Anglican bishops have taken an initial step toward allowing partnered lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in their congregations to be full members.

The bishops passed a resolution when they met recently in the Grahams­town Diocese. That resolution now goes to the Provincial Synod, the church’s top decision-making body, which meets later this year, said Archbishop Thabo Mak­goba of Cape Town.

“I believe that its adoption by Provincial Synod would be an important first step signaling to the LGBT community that we in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, through our top deliberative and legislative body, see them as welcome members of our body as sisters and brothers in Christ,” Mak­goba wrote in a pastoral letter dated February 22.