LONDON  Some conservative Anglicans across the world will cut or loosen ties with the New Hampshire Episcopalian diocese, which consecrated the church's first openly homosexual bishop Nov. 2, according to The Associated Press.
Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola said Bishop V. Gene Robinson's consecration demonstrates that parts of the 2.3-million member U.S. church aren't heeding the "Word of God."
"The overwhelming majority of the primates of the global south cannot and will not recognize the office or ministry of Canon Gene Robinson as a bishop," Akinola said in a statement.
Resistance to homosexual bishops has been particularly strong in Africa, the news service reported.
The Anglican Church of Uganda said it will cut ties with the New Hampshire diocese.
"The admission of homosexuals in the church… is unacceptable to the church," said Stanly Ntagari, a spokesman for the Ugandan Anglican church. "We do not recognize that man as a bishop."
Neighboring Kenya said it won't cut ties, but won't recognize Robinson as a bishop.
The Rev. Peter Jensen, a conservative archbishop from Sydney, Australia, said the consecration of Robinson - who is divorced and lives openly with his male partner - was wrong "because the Word of God teaches us clearly what the standards are for Christian behavior in leaders and Canon Robinson does not fulfill those requirements.
"This creates a split for the first time in a particular area and that's a tragedy, but it's necessary if the truth is to be preserved," Jensen said.
