Nottingham, England - The U.S. Episcopal Church on Tuesday defended its decision to ordain an openly gay bishop, refusing to back down from a confrontation that threatens to split the 77 million-strong Anglican Communion.
Bishop Suffragan Catherine Roskam of New York told the Anglican Consultative Council that the church believed "a person living in a same-gendered union may be eligible to lead the flock of Christ."
In February, leaders of the 38 national Anglican churches chastised the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, asking them not to attend this week's meeting of the Consultative Council, an international body of bishops, priests and lay people that meets every three years.
But Anglican leaders also asked the North American churches to send representatives to explain the theological reasoning behind the consecration of V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, and the decision by the western Canadian diocese of New Westminster to authorize the blessing of same-sex unions.
Official church policy declares gay sex "incompatible with Scripture" and opposes gay ordinations and same-sex blessings.
"Our actions around the question of homosexuality have deeply distressed a number of you," acknowledged Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, head of the Episcopal Church.
"(We) recognize that the Episcopal Church has not reached a common mind on the matter of homosexuality," he added. However, he said, "the overwhelming majority of Episcopalians are committed to living a life of unity in difference."
The U.S. church laid out its position in a 130-page document, "To Set Our Hope on Christ." It argued that "members of the Episcopal Church have discerned holiness in same-sex relationships and have come to support the blessing of such unions and the ordination or consecration of persons in those unions."
In this, the document said, Episcopalians were in a theological tradition of debate and difference stretching back to the early Christians.
"We believe that God has been opening our eyes to acts of God that we had not known how to see before," said the document, prepared by a committee of theologians.
Conservative Anglicans, however, accused Episcopal Church leaders of ignoring the views of many members of their flock.
"We're up against a winner-takes-all approach that does not brook any dissent and will slowly but surely stifle it," said Chris Sugden, leader of the traditionalist Anglican Mainstream group.
Addressing the Nottingham gathering Monday, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams acknowledged that the North American churches' actions had caused "outrage and hurt" among many Anglicans.
"We can't ignore the seriousness of what divides us," he said. "But if there is no easy solution, and there is not, we can at least think about this simple suggestion. If it is difficult for us to stand together at the Lord's Table as we might wish, can we continue to be friends?"
That may prove difficult. The issue of homosexuality has opened a rift between Anglican liberals — many of them in North America — and conservatives, who are strongest in Africa and Asia. Many fear it cannot be bridged.
The six-member U.S. presentation team includes one bishop who voted against Robinson's ordination, Charles Jenkins, and another who backed him after expressing doubts, Neil Alexander.
In a letter issued to U.S. bishops on Friday, Griswold said the delegation "indicates that those of differing points of view can live with mutual affection and make common cause in the service of Christ's mission."
But the conservative American Anglican Council said the composition of the group "represents a revisionist theology and radical wing of the Episcopal Church."
Unifiers fear conservatives will set up parallel structures to bypass the church hierarchy, a move that could speed a permanent split.
"What I hope for is an understanding that the grace of God allows us to live together in fellowship, accepting that we may disagree strongly on certain things," said Tony Fitchett, a lay council member from New Zealand. "I'm an optimist by nature."