English bishop hints at joining boycott of Anglican meeting over gay issue

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A senior Church of England bishop says he would have difficulty joining U.S. Episcopal bishops at a gathering of global Anglican leaders next year because they haven’t repented for consecrating a gay bishop.

Michael Nazir-Ali, the bishop of Rochester, says he’s siding with African bishops who believe the American church has not adequately dealt with protests about the installation of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire.

The dispute has caused some Anglican leaders to threaten to boycott next year’s Lambeth Conference, a once-a-decade gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world.

Nazir-Ali ways his difficulty is not with a particular person, such as Gene Robinson, but with those who felt it right to approve and to officiate at his ordination.

Meeting last month in New Orleans, Episcopal bishops promised to "exercise restraint” in approving another gay bishop and not to authorize prayers to bless same-sex couples.

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