Ugandan Anglicans in Ultimatum to Us Church Over Gay Marriages

The Anglican church in Uganda yesterday threatened to leave the worldwide communion unless the US Episcopal church condemned homosexuality.

The ultimatum came from the Rev Aaron Mwesigye, provincial secretary and spokesman for the Ugandan church, who warned that the attitude of some American clergy could trigger the disintegration of the world's third biggest Christian denomination.

He said: "If they don't change and continue to support homosexual practices and same-sex marriage, our relationship with them will be completely broken. Anglicanism is just an identity and if they abuse it, we shall secede. Yes, we shall remain Christians, but not in the same communion."

African provinces have been at loggerheads with American Anglicans following the 2003 ordination of a gay man, Gene Robinson, as bishop of New Hampshire. The tension increased in 2006 with the appointment of Katharine Jefferts Schori, a liberal, as presiding bishop of the Episcopal church.

She defended her ministry in an interview with the BBC last month, claiming her church was paying the price for being honest about sexuality.

"He [Robinson] is certainly not alone in being a gay bishop, he's certainly not alone in being a gay partnered bishop. He is alone in being the only gay partnered bishop who's open about that status."

This openness has, however, alarmed conservatives who are unable to accept the liberal attitudes of the small but influential American wing of the communion and the latest twist makes the prospect of a schism increasingly likely as more African provinces reject the authority and leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Last week the Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Orombi, was one of five primates to sign an open letter explaining their decision to snub the 10-yearly gathering of the world's Anglican bishops that will prove to be a crucial display of unity for Williams. The other signatories on the letter were the archbishops of Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and South America.