Church faces new gay row over Canada

Canada's Anglicans could dramatically deepen the rifts within the worldwide Church over homosexuality this weekend by giving approval to gay blessings.

Such a step by the Canadian General Synod would all but extinguish the chances of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, averting schism.

Observers say the vote, which would give individual dioceses the discretion to allow same-sex blessings, is "on a knife-edge".

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who is attending the Synod in Winnipeg, issued a coded call for unity, urging delegates to take account of the wider Church.

But most of the Canadian bishops, including the primate, Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, are liberal on the issue. Read more