LONDON, February 24, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said that schism is imminent unless US and Canadian churches stop ordaining homosexual bishops and solemnizing same-sex unions. Leaders of the 77-million-member Anglican Communion are meeting at a retreat this week in Northern Ireland, to discuss and try to resolve the issue. “Should the call to halt and find ways of continuing in our present communion not be heeded, then we shall have to begin to learn to walk apart,” the Archbishop said Tuesday, as reported by the Washington Times.
“There will be no cost-free outcome from this,” he said. “To put it as bluntly as I can, there are no clean breaks in the Body of Christ.” The controversy began when a US congregation ordained the openly homosexual Gene Robinson as bishop for a New Hampshire diocese.
The Anglican Communion called on the US and Canadian churches to express regret for their positions on gay clergy and recognition of same-sex unions, and to promise it will discontinue ordaining homosexual bishops and blessing same-sex unions. Bishop Frank T. Griswold, who presided over the ordination of Robinson, is prelate of the US Episcopal Church. He said the US was sorry for causing the problem, but that their position is unlikely to change. See Washington Times coverage: http://www.washtimes.com/world/20050224-122353-5917r.htm tv