African Anglicans to snub pro-gay rights U.S. bishop
By Rebecca Harrison
Reuters
Thursday, January 11, 2007

JOHANNSEBURG (Reuters) - Africa's leading Anglican archbishops plan to snub their pro-gay rights U.S. counterpart at a key summit next month as a bitter battle over homosexuality intensifies in a world church on the brink of schism.

Several African leaders have blasted Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first woman to head the U.S. Episcopal Church, for backing gay clergy and same-sex unions. They have urged Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams not to invite her to a global meeting of Anglican primates in Tanzania.

Williams, who admitted this week he was losing control over the divisive debate, insisted Jefferts Schori meet her critics "face to face" but sought to appease traditionalists by inviting conservative U.S. church leaders too.

The archbishops from Africa, home to more than half of the world's 77 million Anglicans, say they will stop short of an all-out boycott but cannot meet with Jefferts Schori.

Kenyan Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi said he found it "difficult to share a meeting with somebody who is ... fighting what we believe Scripture is saying. the rest