Anglicans outside U.S. divided on gay bishops*

LONDON (AP) — Anglican churches worldwide are divided on whether the
U.S. Episcopal Church responded adequately to concerns about gay
bishops, church authorities said Thursday.

Twelve leaders of national churches informed the Archbishop of
Canterbury that they accepted the Episcopal Church's response. Ten
primates — all part of the conservative Global South alliance — rejected
the response, and a dozen have yet to give a stance.

Three other primates reported mixed views, and another promised to
respond after further consultation, according to a statement from
Lambeth Palace, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' office in London.

Williams indicated that he would respond to the survey in his annual
Advent letter next month.

The Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, has been
on the defensive ever since the consecration of New Hampshire Bishop V.
Gene Robinson, who has a male partner.

At a meeting in September, Episcopal bishops promised to "exercise
restraint" in approving another gay bishop and would not authorize
prayers to bless same-sex couples.

The statement did not identify individual provinces.

Those who rejected the Episcopal Church position, in general, felt the
Americans had altered the words they used but had not changed direction.

Those provinces appeared to have paid close attention to the words of
the Episcopal Church statement, while those who approved of the response
appeared to be more interested in what they perceived as the spirit of
the response, the Lambeth Palace statement said.