Conservative Anglican leaders aren't breaking away from the international communion, but they are hoping to change the balance of power.

Anglican conservatives, frustrated by the continuing stalemate over homosexuality in the Anglican Communion, declared Sunday that they would defy historic lines of authority and create a new power bloc within the communion led by a council predominantly of African archbishops.
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They depicted their efforts as the culmination of an anti-colonial struggle against the communion’s seat of power in Britain, from which missionaries first carried Anglican Christianity to the developing world. The conservatives say many of the descendants of those Anglican missionaries in Britain and North America are following a “false gospel” that allows a malleable interpretation of Scripture.

Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, known for his virulent homophobia, called the decision a "new beginning." We call it bullshit - how are you going to use liberation struggles as the "inspiration" for such a hateful shift? It's just gross.

Virulent homophobe and Nigerian Anglican leader Peter Akinola addressed the Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem and used his speech to "denounce" Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion whom Akinola claims is too lenient on the gays. [This Day]

That was a fast turnaround! Anti-gay Anglican leaders last week vowed to split the international movement and start their own sect away from gay friendly leaders. Something must have happened between Friday and today, because the conservatives now say they'll stay:

Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, Primate of Kenya and leader of that country's four million Anglicans, and the Ugandan Primate Archbishop Henry Orombi confirmed last night that there will be no split.

Archbishop Nzimbi's comments are especially significant because he is heading the committee that will draw up the final communique to be issued on Sunday night.

It also confirms the word behind the scenes in Israel and as disclosed by The Times on Monday, that the agenda is now reform from within rather than starting a breakaway conservative Anglican church that excludes homosexuals or tried to "convert" them to heterosexuality.

Where's a cheer leading pussy when you need one?

Right wing Anglicans have been threatening a gay-related schism for years. And now it seems the time has come:

Hardline church leaders have formally declared the end of the worldwide Anglican communion, saying they could no longer be associated with liberals who tolerate homosexual clergy.

The traditionalists dealt a serious blow to the Archbishop of Canterbury by claiming he can no longer hold the church together.

They warned that the church is gripped by its most serious crisis since the Reformation, and could only be saved by the repentance of the Americans who triggered the row by ordaining an openly homosexual bishop, the Rt Rev Gene Robinson, five years ago.

The 89-page declaration makes the Reformation comparison even more explicit with assertion, “We see a parallel between contemporary events and events in England in the sixteenth century. Now, after five centuries, a new fork in the road is appearing.”

Anglican priest David Lord has resigned after fellow Church of England leaders scoffed over his forbidden gay marriage to another priest, Peter Cowell. The men had previously entered a domestic partnership, but crossed the line, say Church officials, after officiating it as if they were straight. The nerve! [Guardian]

Two Anglican priests in Britain may be in a heap of trouble after getting married - to each other! Though the men - Peter Cowell and David Lord - had already registered their civil partnership, but may have gone the extra step by marrying last month. And Church of England officials are none-too-happy. Said a spokesperson, "What we seem to have here is a fairly serious breach of the rules by an individual or groups of individuals." [AFP]

"About 120 guests gathered at St. Paul's Church in New Hampshire for Saturday's ceremony for Bishop Gene Robinson and his partner of more than 19 years, Mark Andrew. The event was kept private out of respect for next month's worldwide Anglican conference, Robinson's spokesman, Mike Barwell, said on Sunday." [Reuters]

Openly gay Anglican Bishop Gene Robinson and his long-time beau Mark Andrew will go through with their strategic civil union this weekend in New Hampshire. And, no, anti-gay Ugandan Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi was not invited. [Telegraph]

The Anglican Communion's gay drama continues.

As some hint at a schism over gay inclusion, Uganda's Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi says division can be prevented if pro-gay preachers simply apologize and fall in line:

The rift in the Church can only be bridged if the liberal bishops, espousing sexual perversion, repent and return to Christ's teachings.
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For us to come back together, it will take repentance and for them to abide by the Lambeth Resolution 10 of 1998 on sexuality. The resolution states that the Anglican Communion upholds the Biblical view on sexuality, but when these people went back to the US, they decided to disown it and do their own things.

And by "own things" Orombi means the ascension of gay bishop Gene Robinson, who has become the most divisive figure in Communion. We gays are always making an impression!

Senior Anglican leaders will meet in Jerusalem later this month and some are saying they're looking to split the church into two camps: pro-gay and anti-gay. [SMH]

Forever young actor Ian McKellen has a hot date for July. The forever young actor will step out with gay Anglican Bishop Gene Robinson to premiere a flick about gays in the Church. The event will coincide with the Anglican Communion's Lambeth Conference, a policy powwow during which leaders will discuss the movement's direction. Robinson was not invited, because conservative leaders scoff at his same-sex ways, which sparked an internal war within the church. [Times]

Gene Robinson's got claws. The gay Anglican bishop gave the movement's leader, Rowan Williams of Canterbury a bit of slap yesterday when discussing Williams' spinelessness when dealing with anti-gay Anglicans: "I believe [William's] unwillingness to confront Peter Akinola and others like him who've made statements that I think any reasonable person would find over the edge - I believe God is very disappointed in that." God offered no comment. [PA]

Gay Anglican Bishop Gene Robinson's upcoming nuptials get more press this morning. While we've all heard about Robinson's plans, fresh new stories offers some more insight about why he planned the event for June, right before the Anglican Communion's Lambeth Conference:

He planned his civil union for June, he said, because he wanted to provide some legal protection to his partner and his children before he left for England for the conference. Bishop Robinson has received death threats, and he wore a bulletproof vest under his vestments at his consecration in 2003.

Robinson has not been invited to the conference, for his gay ways have caused quite a drama in the movement, but will set up shop in a market place adjacent to Lambeth HQ.

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Gene Robinson's politics are personal.

The Anglican Archbishop, whose 2003 ascension sparked outrage in the international Anglican Communion, will have a quite a summer as he married his long time boyfriend, Marc Andrews, and then heads to England to protest not being included in the church's Lambeth Conference, an every-ten-year-event during which Anglican leaders discuss their evolution. Robinson, of course, wants the Church to expand its guidelines to include the gays, but senior leaders are skittish over the idea, which led to Robinson's exclusion.

Now, as we've mentioned, Robinson's headed over to put some pressure on his pious peers:

Bishop Robinson’s decision to be active on the “outside” of the conference will add to the pressures on the Archbishop, who is struggling to keep his church united in line with the Gospel imperative of “one Church”.
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[Robinson] said that he will enter a legal union with his partner Mark Andrew in June.
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There is speculation that Bishop Robinson and Mr Andrew will take the opportunity of the Lambeth Conference to “honeymoon” in England. But Mr Andrew dislikes the media spotlight and may prefer to stay away.

We would, too. Who wants a socially aware honeymoon? No one, that's who. Except for Robinson. Obviously.

Australia's Education Department says an Anglican school would most likely be breaking the law if they ban gay couples from their end-of-the-year dance: "The department has to follow the anti-discrimination legislation. We would again be saying if that was an issue in a school, then a decision not to allow that would probably be unlawful under the anti-discrimination legislation." [ABC]