Bishops in the Episcopal Church in the US went as far as they could last night to avoid schism in the Anglican Church with a pledge not to consecrate any more openly gay bishops. They also pledged not to authorise same-sex blessings, even though such services take place regularly on an unofficial basis, as they do in England and elsewhere in the West.

The American bishops, meeting in New Orleans, also approved a “flying bishops” proposal for traditionalists unable to accept the liberal agenda of the Church, including the election of a woman as Presiding Bishop and the ordination of the openly gay Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson.

Early reaction from the conservative wing of the Church indicated that the pledges will not go far enough to prevent as many as five dioceses from seeking oversight from a more conservative Anglican province in the Global South grouping of evangelical and traditionalist churches. A group under the banner of the new Common Cause partnership is meeting this week to discuss future strategy. One conservative leader said that the statement by the American bishops represented “two fingers” to the Communion.

Nevertheless, the decisions to put a hold, even if temporary, on the advance of the pro-gay liberal agenda represents a huge concession for the US province, a church that has prided itself on championing the “inclusve gospel” by standing up for the rights of homosexuals, women, the deprived and all marginalised and outcast groups in society.

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BACKGROUND

• Gay weddings flourish in a religious stronghold

• Pope to discuss influx of Anglicans

• US Church pledges not to consecrate gay bishops

• Bishop defects to Catholic Church in gay row

BACKGROUND

• Pro-gay agenda pushes Church closer to schism

• Archbishop of Canterbury's 'secret gay communion'

• Archbishop faces clash over gay marriages of 50 priests

Related Links

• Bishops reject same-sex blessings

• US bishops' pledge is not good enough says world's most powerful Anglican

That the US bishops have gone as far as they have represents a triumph for the strategy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who addressed them in private on Thursday and Friday of last week. It is also a tribute to the leadership of the US Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori. Their decisions will come as a blow to gay rights advocates with the Church. A lesbian bishop is on the shortlist of candidates for another diocese, Chicago, and the decision represents an end to any hopes of her becoming the second openly gay bishop in the US.

Nevertheless, the US bishops also stated their “unequivocal support” for civil rights for lesbian, gay and transgender people. The bishops also intend to continue consecrating openly gay priests. But they described a “deep desire” to rebuild trust with the other provinces of the Anglican Communion.

“This is what we are called to in our baptism,” they said. And they urged Dr Williams to find a way to invite Bishop Robinson to the 2008 Lambeth Conference.