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US Anglicans reject gay bishops US Anglicans reject gay bishops
(1 day later)
Leaders of the Episcopal Church in the United States have agreed to halt the selection of gay priests as bishops to prevent a split in the Anglican Church. Leaders of the Episcopal Church in the US have agreed to halt the consecration of gay priests as bishops to prevent a split in the Anglican Communion.
The Church will also no longer approve prayers to bless same-sex couples. They reaffirmed disapproval of official prayers to bless same-sex unions.
Many African Anglicans threatened to leave the worldwide Anglican Communion after the ordination of the first openly gay bishop four years ago.Many African Anglicans threatened to leave the worldwide Anglican Communion after the ordination of the first openly gay bishop four years ago.
The American Church was told to meet the conditions by 30 September or lose membership of the communion. The US Church had until 30 September to respond to Anglican leaders' calls that it define its position on the issue.
US bishops made the decision after a six-day meeting in New Orleans.US bishops made the decision after a six-day meeting in New Orleans.
The meeting was attended in part by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who urged the Episcopal Church to make concessions for the sake of unity.The meeting was attended in part by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who urged the Episcopal Church to make concessions for the sake of unity.
The Episcopal Church is the American wing of the Anglican Communion, which has 77 million members worldwide.The Episcopal Church is the American wing of the Anglican Communion, which has 77 million members worldwide.
Plea for unityPlea for unity
The BBC's religious affairs correspondent, Robert Pigott, says the agreement will help defuse the crisis triggered by the US Church's consecration of an openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson, in 2003. The statement urged bishops to "exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration" of candidates whose lifestyle "challenged" the wider church.
The agreement means that while the Church cannot stop dioceses from selecting a gay candidate for bishop, it can refrain from approving those candidates, says BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott.
It will help defuse the crisis triggered by the US Church's consecration of an openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson, in 2003, our correspondent says.
But traditionalists in the US are already making plans to set up their own independent Church.But traditionalists in the US are already making plans to set up their own independent Church.
Conservative churchgoers believe homosexuality is contrary to the Church's teachings. Conservative churchgoers believe active homosexuality is contrary to the Anglican Communion's teachings, which are rooted in the bible.
However, liberal Anglicans have argued that biblical teachings on justice and inclusion should take precedence. However, liberal Anglicans have argued that biblical teachings on inclusion should take precedence.
The Episcopal bishops did reaffirm their commitment to the civil rights of gay people and said they opposed any violence towards them or violation of their dignity.The Episcopal bishops did reaffirm their commitment to the civil rights of gay people and said they opposed any violence towards them or violation of their dignity.
The meeting in New Orleans follows a summit of Anglican leaders in Tanzania earlier in the year which gave the US Episcopal Church a deadline of 30 September to define its position on the issue. The meeting in New Orleans follows a summit of Anglican leaders in Tanzania earlier in the year which gave the US Episcopal Church until 30 September to define its position on the issue.
The leaders threatened that a failure to do so would leave their relationship with the US branch of Anglicanism "damaged at best".The leaders threatened that a failure to do so would leave their relationship with the US branch of Anglicanism "damaged at best".