Gay Bishop Spurns World Anglican Meeting

The first openly gay Episcopal bishop announced he will have no official role in a meeting this summer of world Anglican leaders, saying restrictions that organizers wanted to place on his involvement had caused him "considerable pain."

Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire had been told last year that he could not fully participate in the once-a-decade gathering in Britain, called the Lambeth Conference, as the world Anglican Communion sat on the brink of schism over his 2003 election.