“We deface and dehumanise people when we put them in boxes,” said an emotional Reverend Dr Eddie Daniels, who this week was elected as the next bishop of Port Elizabeth.
An issue close to his heart, Daniels spoke openly on the rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) community.
“The church is not an exclusive club,” the bishop-elect said.
“It’s an inclusive community [and] I believe that with the greatest conviction.
“I always say I don’t have a choice to whom I minister – I have an obligation to meet each person on their terms as a child of God created in God’s image,” Daniels said, before taking a moment to regain his composure.
“I think it’s sad that anybody has got to categorise themselves as being LGBTQI.
“For me, if I don’t accept you on your terms, then it’s conditional. And relationships ought to be unconditional.
“I’ve got to be careful how I say this: race trumps your sexuality.
“Race in our country is important – that is a reality and we’ve got to deal with that.
“Until we get ourselves past that, we’re always going to tend to see people in categories.
“God doesn’t see us in categories – you’re either human or you’re not.”
Daniels, 60, who has served in the diocese of Port Elizabeth for the past 25 years, is married to Nicky, who is the principal of the PE Museum School at Bayworld.
The couple have one son, Joshua, 28.
Following what he said was a rigorous process, an elective assembly of the Anglican diocese of Port Elizabeth elected Daniels, who is currently the rector of St Margaret’s Church in Summerstrand, as the next bishop of Port Elizabeth, this week. He’s set to take over from Rev Bishop Bethlehem Nopece who has retired to East London. Daniels was ordained as a priest by the then Bishop Desmond Tutu in Johannesburg in 1985 and, after serving in that diocese for six years, he took up a post as lecturer in the church's theological college in Grahamstown (now Makhanda) for two years.
Daniels holds a diploma in theology, a BA degree and a master of education degree, both from Wits University, and a doctor of education degree from the Nelson Mandela University.
Education was another issue close to his heart, Daniels said.
“I’ve always told our son, ‘marry your education because it’s the only spouse that will never abandon you’,” he quipped.
Of his own childhood, Daniels said: “I was born in Cape Town, a place called Alicedale, and the house I was born in is directly opposite the Athlone police station, so I guess that’s why I turned out to be a bit of a good guy.
“However, at the age of 15 my family relocated to Johannesburg,” he said.
“I can speak metaphorically maybe and say that over the years I’ve discovered that people hurt the same way, as blood is the same colour.
“I often find that there are more common things that we pain about than the differences which we accentuate and emphasise.
“I find that everybody just wants to live their lives in peace and harmony with each other.
“I think the church is a wonderful place to prepare people for that.
“In the past the church has been the conscience of society and I think sometimes the church’s voice has gone a little too silent, particularly in talking out against issues of what is wrong. But in the same token, I think we don’t encourage and compliment the officials and authorities enough when they do get some things right. It’s got to be balanced.
“I think race will always be an issue, but I think we’re hopefully getting to a generation where it’s not race, but the values that you hold that’s important.”
Daniels is expected to be consecrated on February 23.