'Gay issue won't split church'

2003-10-18 14:17

Perth, Australia - The head of Australia's Anglicans said on Saturday that the worldwide Anglican church is unlikely to split over the controversial issue of gay bishops.

But Anglican leader Peter Carnley said moves by the church in Canada and the United States to recognise same-sex relationships would prompt "pretty lively" international debate, as the church grappled with the modern phenomenon, which was "not really addressed" in the Bible.

Carnley made the comments during a speech at the Australian church's annual synod and follows a specially convened two-day meeting this week in London of the church's 37 primates, or leaders.

The so-called Lambeth Palace gathering discussed the blessing of same-sex unions, endorsed by the Canadian diocese of New Westminster, and next month's scheduled consecration of a gay bishop by the American diocese of New Hampshire.

The issues are causing the deepest divisions in the Anglican Church since discussion on the ordination of women priests in the late 1980s.

The primates concluded the summit by warning that the Rev V Gene Robinson's scheduled consecration November 2 as bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire will "tear the fabric" of their global association of churches and asked it not to proceed.

Robinson said in a statement that he will not give up the position.

Carnley said he did not believe the Canadian or US issues would split the church.

"The statement asks them not to (proceed) but I'd be surprised if they did not go ahead because they have done everything legally according to their own Canon law, so it would be very difficult to unwind that," Carnley said.

Carnley also indicated that "there certainly could be" gay Anglican bishops eventually consecrated in Australia.

"But I think what we'll see, probably, is a pretty lively international debate about how we deal pastorally with, particularly, people in long-term relationships," he said.

- AP