'Walking the line’ on LGBTQ+ issues does not work for Christian leaders

Three powerful Christian leaders uniting to condemn ethnic violence in South Sudan sends a strong message about Christianity's moral opposition to hatred As part of his 'Africa Tour' Pope Francis was joined by Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and Iain Greenshields, the leader of the Church of Scotland, in a "pilgrimage of peace" to South Sudan. The joint visit of three powerful Christian leaders, coming together to condemn ethnic violence is the first of its kind and sends a strong message about Christianity's moral opposition to hatred. The visit has also thrown the treatment of LGBTQ+ people in the region into the spotlight. Prior to, and since the visit, both Archbishop Welby and Pope Francis have voiced their opposition to the local laws criminalizing homosexuality. Pope Francis said laws that criminalize LGBTQ+ people are "unjust" and that "being homosexual is not a crime." Political leaders in South Sudan were aware that the government's mistreatment of members of the LGBTQ+ community might be on the agenda for the visit. Michael Makuei Lueth, the information minister for South Sudan said , "If [Pope Francis] is coming here and tells us that marriage of the same sex, homosexuality, is legal, we will say no." Pope Francis has faced rebels in the ranks on his 'progressive' views too. Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah was critical of Francis's language of 'welcoming' gay Christians back into the fold.