The world’s Anglican bishops ended their decennial Lambeth Conference last night by declaring themselves in “wide agreement” on a moratorium on blessing homosexual unions despite a complaint by Canada’s Anglican primate that his church’s views on the issue had not been given an adequate hearing.<\/p>\n
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the 77-million-member Anglican Communion, said the 650 bishops attending the conference in England were strongly in favour of avoiding a schism in the church – the world’s third-largest Christian body – over same-sex blessings and the consecration of bishops living in homosexual unions.<\/p>\n
In addition to moratoria on same-sex blessings and gay bishops, he said the bishops also favoured the creation of a covenant on Anglican theological belief that almost certainly would impose limitations on homosexual inclusiveness.<\/p>\n
Most Anglicans now live in the so-called global south – Africa, Asia and Latin America – and their leaders consider homosexuality a violation of God’s teaching. More than 200 bishops boycotted the conference over the issue.<\/p>\n