From the Times

The Archbishops of the Anglican church worldwide are to debate the damaging effects of the row over homosexuality at a meeting in Egypt next week.

The 39 Primates who head the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion are meeting at Alexandria from Sunday where they will discuss how to get their churches back on track after a series of damaging disputes that have taken them to the brink of schism.

A new traditionalist grouping from North America, led by deposed Pittsburgh bishop Bob Duncan who now styles himself as their Archbishop, will also present a new constitution and canons to the Primates in an attempt to secure recognition as the 39th province of the 77-million strong Church.

One senior primate who heads a small but respected province has warned Anglicans that he will oppose “with every fibre of my being” the recognition of a new traditionalist province, to exist in parallel jurisdiction to The Episcopal Church in the US.

The Primates of the US Episcopal Church, Canada, Uganda, Pakistan and South Africa will address the other Primates on the effects of the row, which has led to depositions in the US, expensive law suits as both sides fight to retain valuable property, and defections to rival provinces of laity, clergy, bishops and even entire dioceses.

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In an attempt to move the church on from homosexuality, the Primates will focus instead on how well their provinces are fulfilling the Communion’s official “five marks of mission”: evangelisation, catechisation, service, social and environmental action.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz of Canada told his church’s Anglican Journal: “We’re fortunate in that we can say that the five marks of mission have become a real focus in the Canadian church and are sort of becoming household language in terms of how we talk about our work as a church, both here in Canada and through our partnerships around the world.”

His church, at the liberal end of the spectrum, has been one of those at the centre of the storm after the diocese of New Westminster authorised a service of same-sex blessings in 2002. Three other dioceses, Ottawa, Montreal and Niagara, have also asked their bishops to allow same-sex blessings.