Church of England bishops 'to boycott key conference'

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g7cA1IjzCQ2iiB8p1R6k4QjAb-rA

[AFP] 23 Jun 2008--A leading British Church of England bishop will boycott a key conference of his peers from around the world next month because of an ongoing row over homosexual priests, The Sunday Telegraph said.

The weekly said the Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, was one of at least three British bishops who will shun the Lambeth Conference because of the presence of US supporters of gay bishops.

Up to six other British bishops were considering similar action, it added, assessing that a boycott by senior church leaders from Britain risked undermining the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

There was no immediate response from Nazir-Ali when contacted by AFP.

But an unnamed friend of the bishop, who was born in Pakistan and converted from Catholicism, was quoted by the newspaper as saying that he considers the actions of the US Episcopal Church to be "unscriptural" and "disobedient".

"The Lambeth Conference is a Eucharistic gathering where the bishops gather around the Lord's table to teach the common faith, and he doesn't see how he can do this," the friend was quoted as saying.

The newspaper said the Bishop of Lewes, Wallace Benn, and the Bishop of Willesden, Pete Broadbent, would also not attend the conference, which is held every 10 years and brings Anglican bishops from around the world.