African threat to defy Archbishop over gays

CONSERVATIVE Anglican archbishops from Africa and Asia are plotting to create a new ‘missionary’ bishop to lead traditionalists in the UK – after warning the Church of England is too liberal on homosexuality. The rebel archbishops are set to give the green light to the controversial plan at a crucial meeting in Lagos in Nigeria this week of the Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON) group of conservative archbishops, in defiance of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, pictured.

It is thought the most likely candidate to be the first such bishop is Canon Andrew Lines, who is chairman of GAFCON UK.

Insiders said the move would be a highly provocative intervention into the Church of England by foreign archbishops and a direct challenge to the authority of Archbishop Welby, who is the nominal head of Anglicans worldwide.

Archbishop Welby alarmed conservatives in February by issuing a letter softening his stance on homosexuality, calling for a ‘radical new inclusion’ for gays – apparently paving the way for formal services to celebrate gay couples.

Even more alarming for GAFCON leaders is that the liberal Scottish Episcopal Church is expected to become the first Anglican body in the UK to approve full-scale gay marriage at its annual synod in June.