Snub to Anglican conservatives

It looks as if the General Synod has cleverly sidestepped the issue of gay bishops in America, with a bit of a snub to the breakaway Anglican movement there.

After the appointment of Gene Robinson, a gay bishop, in New Hampshire in 2003, a sect of conservative American Anglicans formed a group called ACNA, the Anglican Church in North America, thus cutting themselves off from the country’s Episcopalian Church (which is part of the Anglican Communion).

This was part of the long-running dispute over the appointment of female and gay bishops – an issue that has dominated this week’s General Synod in the UK.

However, a motion to the Synod yesterday wanted to see ACNA recognised as such, but all the meeting did was recognise ACNA’s “desire to remain within the Anglican family”, which will be seen as a mild victory for the liberal wing.