Smash hit

"But the depth and seriousness of the issues that face us require us to discuss as fully and freely as we can, and no other forum offers the same opportunities for all to hear and consider, in the context of a common waiting on the Holy Spirit.

"I have said, and repeat here, that coming to the Conference does not commit you to accepting every position held by other bishops as equally legitimate or true. But I hope it does commit us all to striving together for a more effective and coherent worldwide body, working for God’s glory and Christ’s Kingdom."

Justifying the exclusion of Bishop Robinson, he says: "I have to reserve the right to withhold or withdraw invitations from bishops whose appointment, actions or manner of life have caused exceptionally serious division or scandal within the Communion."

He indicates there are "one or two cases" on which he is seeking further advice. Each letter is sent with "a reply slip" for bishops to indicate whether they will be attending or not, with replies needed by the end of July this year.

The Rev Martin Reynolds, spokesman for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, condemned the policy. He said it demonstrated "the institutional homophobia presently haunting the Anglican Communion."

He quoted a recent communique from the Church's primates, which said: "The victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us.”

Mr Reynolds continued: “This is a flagrant example of victimisation that quite clearly intends to diminish Bishop Robinson’s status. If the Archbishop of Canterbury is unable to follow the dictates of the Primates Group, let alone the dictates of his own conscience, we are in a very unsafe state.

"We are deeply sorry for the failure of the Communion to live up to its own standards. Bishop Robinson and the diocese he was duly and canonically elected to serve have our full support and we believe they deserve much better.”

He said the decision placed most US bishops along with others throughout the world in an embarrassing position. "If they accept their Lambeth invitations this might appear to support Bishop Robinson’s victimisation, while if they reject the invitation they will abandon our Communion to the homophobes.”

The Rev Chris Sugden, of Anglican Mainstream, the orthodox lobby group, said: "The Archbishop is in a very difficult position. It appears he is making the criteria of withholding an invitation causing division, or scandal or making resolution difficult. Who is to be the judge of these things once the criteria is not Biblical truth as held by the universal church and Anglican doctrine but ecclesiastical correctness?"

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