Anglican Leader Warns Against Forming New Conservative Council

LONDON — The spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans raised questions yesterday about the legitimacy of plans to create a global network of conservative Anglicans that would challenge his authority and the teachings of liberal North American churches.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, said the proposal to form a separate global council of conservative bishops who will train priests and interpret Scripture would create more problems than it solves.

A council "which consists of only a self-selected group ... will not pass the test of legitimacy for all in the Communion," he said.

The plan emerged from a weeklong meeting in Jerusalem of conservative Anglican bishops, clergy, and lay people from Africa and some North American and British churches. In a declaration Sunday, they announced plans for the fellowship as a "church within a church," stopping short of a complete break with the communion.

Conference participants expressed outrage at what they consider a "false gospel" that has led churches in America, Canada, and elsewhere to accept gay relationships. Long-standing divisions over how Anglicans should interpret the Bible erupted in 2003 when the American Episcopal Church, the Anglican body America, consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.