Anglican head rejects attempt to rewrite antigay resolution

The leader of the world's Anglicans has ruled against conducting a new debate on the church's teaching that gay sex is "incompatible with Scripture." Looking ahead to the 2008 Lambeth Conference of the world's Anglican bishops, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said he detected little support for reopening the debate from the 1998 conference.

The resolution condemning gay sex also opposed the ordination of those involved in same-sex relationships and the blessing of unions between gays. The communion has been badly torn by disputes over sexuality, with conservatives outraged by the election of a gay bishop in New Hampshire, the blessing of gay unions in one Canadian diocese, and the Church of England's tolerance of gay clergy entering in civil partnerships.

"Despite the levels of bitter controversy over sexuality in the communion, I do not hear much enthusiasm for revisiting in 2008 the last Lambeth Conference's resolution on this matter," Williams said in a letter to the 38 Anglican primates, which was released in London Thursday. "In my judgment, we cannot properly or usefully reopen the discussion as if Resolution 1.10 of Lambeth 1998 did not continue to represent the general mind of the Communion."

Williams noted, however, that the church was involved in a process intended to hold the communion together despite deep disagreements. "It will be important to allow time for this to be presented and reflected upon in 2008," he wrote. (AP)

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