Asked what was wrong with a homosexual bishop having a partner, he said: "I think because the scriptural and traditional approach to this doesn't give much ground for being positive about it."

Clean-cut and articulate, the group was unanimous in expressing outrage over the idea of a homosexual bishop, even while insisting that homosexuality was not the issue.

To the Editor: Why do you choose to call those Anglicans who oppose ordination of homosexual bishops "conservative" (front page, July 19)?

If elected eventually, he would be the first openly homosexual bishop of the 2.5 million-member Episcopal Church in America.

The first openly homosexual bishop, Gene Robinson, was elected on June 7, 2003, at St. Paul's Church in Concord, New Hampshire.

Akinola was among the Global South leaders who opposed the consecration of Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop in the Anglican Communion.

The 13th meeting of the ACC was concerned with the controversy surrounding the policies about homosexuality, particularly the consecration of openly homosexual bishops.

He also claims that Gnosticism leads to a decline in morality, so that by ordaining a homosexual bishop, the Episcopal Church of the United States has itself shown Gnostic tendencies.

The first openly homosexual bishop, Gene Robinson, was elected in June 2003.

The memo reportedly argues that several homosexual bishops "who, in a conspiracy of silence, have been appointed to senior positions".