The approval of a gay bishop in New Hampshire fractured the church to such an extent that “we are in danger”, former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey has told a summit of Anglican leaders.
Lord Carey, who retired as Archbishop in 2002, said that although the Episcopal Church should be inclusive, the American branch of Anglicanism went too far by consecrating openly gay Gene Robinson as bishop last November.
“I think it’s gone beyond the Scripture and the Christian tradition,” Lord Carey said.
The archbishop was in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for a summit called by the conservative Anglican Communion Institute, which outlined a series of proposed punishments for the Episcopal Church.
Among the proposals were barring bishops who supported Robinson’s consecration from attending certain meetings, including those called by the Archbishop of Canterbury. If they do attend, they would have no voice or vote on decisions.
The institute also outlined a plan in which individual parishes that supported Robinson’s ordination would remove themselves from the Episcopal Church and become independent.
Lord Carey said he considered the institute’s plan a good guideline with the potential to keep the Anglican Communion together.
The Reverend Christopher Seitz, president of the institute, said the group has submitted its proposed punishments to the Lambeth Commission, set up by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to discuss the implications of Robinson’s consecration.
Anglican leaders in Asia, Africa and Latin America who believe gay sex violates scripture warned for months that consecrating Robinson would fracture the Anglican Communion. Archbishops from Africa have said they will reject donations from any diocese that recognises gay clergy.