Endless debate on sexuality ‘is exposing Anglicans to ridicule as the Gay Church’

The Times
August 2, 2008
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

The Anglican Communion is ridiculed as “the Gay Church” and is losing members over homosexuality, say bishops meeting in Canterbury.

Mission is being damaged and confidence in the validity of the Anglican Communion is being hurt, they say.

The bishops’ comments appear in a draft of the final Reflections document of the Lambeth Conference.

About 670 bishops from 38 provinces worldwide have contributed to the document after meeting in African-style indaba, or discussion, groups during the 2½ week conference at Kent University.

The final document will be published tomorrow. It is the main report to emerge from the conference, which has been designed to enable debate without votes or resolutions that might widen divisions. the rest