Anglican leaders refuse communion with U.S. bishop

Seven Anglican leaders refused to take communion with the head of the U.S. branch of the church Friday because she supports ordaining gays and blessing ceremonies for same-sex unions.

"We are unable to come to the holy table with the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church because to do so would be a violation of scriptural teaching and the traditional Anglican understanding," the archbishops wroteon the Anglican Church of Nigeria website.

The seven belong to a group of conservative bishops opposed to the liberal practices of the U.S. church. Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, who was elected head of the U.S. Episcopal Church last year, has refused to back away from her strong stance on including homosexuals.

The incident occurred at a six-day global gathering of Anglican leaders in Tanzania and is the latestevidence of thedeadlock between the two sides.

Issue could split the church

Many fear the issue could lead to a breakup of the fellowship.

Most Anglicans believe homosexuality is a sin, but those who support theordination of gays think social justice teachings in the Bible take precedence over the wider church's view on sexuality.

A split within the church has been growing for years, but the issue came to the forefront in 2003, when the U.S. wing appointed its first gay bishop.

In response to the ordination, an Anglican panel produced a report a year later calling for a moratorium on appointing gay bishops and blessing same-sex unions.

Tensions came to a peak last year, when the U.S. Episcopal Church consecrated Jefferts Schori, its first female leader, who supports the presence of gay leaders in the church.