Archbishop heads for church showdown over gay bishops

Rowan Williams is flying to New Orleans for the meeting with the bishops of the US Episcopal Church to ask for concessions over its liberal approach to gays.

Anglican leaders have demanded that the US Episcopal Church should give guarantees that it will not allow the election of any more openly gay bishops.

They have also called for assurances from the US Episcopal Church that it will not authorise public blessing services for gay couples and that it should create a system for episcopal oversight for congregations that disagree with the church's liberal leadership.

The closed meeting in the US is the latest move in efforts to avoid a split within the 77 million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion over the issue of homosexuality.

The row between conservatives and liberals in the church erupted in 2003 when the US Episcopal Church ordained Gene Robinson as the Bishop of New Hampshire.

He is an openly gay man who lives with his male partner.

The feud has led to African archbishops such as the Most Rev Peter Akinola, of Nigeria, consecrating conservative US clergy to African bishoprics to allow them to minister to traditionalists in the US church.

The crisis meeting follows a summit of worldwide Anglican leaders in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, earlier this year, when they demanded the US Episcopal Church unequivocally bar official prayers for gay couples and the consecration of more gay bishops.

They gave the Episcopal Church until September 30 to clarify its position or its relations with other Anglicans would remain "damaged at best".

A senior Anglican source quoted in The Guardian newspaper said today: "The situation is very volatile. The time has come for the Episcopal Church to tell us where they stand and give unreserved commitments to the rest of the communion.

"They need to respond positively and unambiguously. The time for shilly-shallying is past. This is a watershed for the future of the communion."

Dr Williams will make a week-long visit to Armenia, Syria and Lebanon following the US meeting, Lambeth Palace said.

A statement said his visit to Armenia was the result of an outstanding invitation from the Catholicos, His Holiness Karekin II, who heads the Armenian Apostolic Church.

His visit to Syria and Lebanon will be shorter and forms part of his continuing personal engagement with Christian churches in the Middle East and with leaders of other faiths in the region, the statement said.

The visit takes place at the invitation of the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, Suhail Dawani, whose diocese covers these countries, and is being arranged in collaboration with the Middle East Council of Churches.

In Syria, as well as meetings with Christian leaders and the local Anglican community, Dr Williams will meet the Grand Mufti of Syria and the country's president, Dr Bashar Al Asad.

Dr Williams's trip following the US meeting will begin before America's formal response to this issue and will also make him unavailable for conciliation before the September deadline.