Gay Bishop Row May Spark Worldwide Schism

The leader of the biggest church in the worldwide Anglican communion yesterday deepened the crisis over homosexuality when he threatened to split with the Church of England if it proceeds with the consecration of its first gay bishop.

Archbishop Peter Akinola, leader of the 17.5 million-strong church in Nigeria, who has declared homosexuality to be an abomination, warned he would precipitate a schism if Canon Jeffrey John becomes suffragan bishop of Reading.

There were fears last night that more than a dozen other churches in developing countries would follow Nigeria's lead if it divides the 70 million-strong worldwide communion between the developed and the developing world.

The Church Mission Society has warned that its missionary work could be threatened in such circumstances.

The prospect of a schism within months of taking office is a huge challenge for Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is also head of the worldwide communion.

Known to be personally sympathetic to gays, he is pledged to uphold church rules and has so far kept his head down, apart from issuing a statement three weeks ago regretting the division caused by a decision by the Canadian diocese of New Westminster to authorise a same sex blessing service.

Archbishop Akinola's outburst represents an extraordinary interference in the affairs of a national church by a primate of another country and came despite an assurance from Canon John that, although he remains in a 27-year partnership, he is now celibate.

Archbishop Akinola told BBC radio: "We claim we are Bible-loving Christians. We cannot be seen to be doing things clearly outside the boundaries allowable in the Bible. This is only the beginning. We would sever relationships with anybody, anywhere... anyone who strays over the boundaries we are out with them. It is as simple as that."

Nigeria and 12 other provinces from developing countries have already declared themselves to be in "impaired communion" with the Canadian diocese and they may take similar action against New Hampshire in the US, which elected the first bishop in an openly gay relationship.

The provinces include the West Indies, the Southern Cone (South America), Central Africa, Kenya, India, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Uganda, West Africa, the Indian Ocean, Congo and Sudan.

Canon John's declaration wrong-footed his English critics. Nine Church of England diocesan bishops said they would "rejoice" if the canon was merely in a same sex relationship of companionship and sexual abstinence - precisely how he has now described himself. He said of his relationship: "We have been together for 27 years and we will remain together. But the relationship has not been sexually expressed for years."

The vicar of the parish of Pangbourne, outside Reading, where the bishop will have his home, also expressed strong reservations about his arrival. The Rev John Staples told the BBC: "It raises the question of the authority of the church... I think there is a real danger of splitting the communion."

The threat of a split will alarm church leaders who have struggled to retain a facade of unity on the issue of homosexuality.

Archbishop Akinola himself came under fire from the pages of the Church Times newspaper last night when a correspondent with a shared parish in Nigeria pointed out local tribal practices of polygamy and human sacrifice. The Rev Mark Williams wrote: "The archbishop's faithfulness to scripture at home is far more a cause for question and concern than anything going on here or in Canada... We cannot be held hostage to such double standards."

Jewish Liberal Synagogues have agreed to sanction blessing services for gay Jewish couples. The Jewish Chronicle today says the liberal movement has agreed to sanction synagogue commitment services.