Anglican leader calls for moratorium on practices causing division

CANTERBURY, England (CNS) -- The spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion called for moratoriums on the blessing of same-sex unions, the ordination of openly gay people and naming bishops for disgruntled Anglicans in other church jurisdictions. "I hope that a little more mutual responsibility and accountability, a bit more willingness to walk in step will make us more like a church" rather than a loose collection of nation-based Christian communities, Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury said at an Aug. 3 press conference. The archbishop spoke at the end of the Lambeth Conference, a 19-day meeting of Anglican bishops from around the world. Some 200 bishops declined their invitations to participate because of the presence of bishops from North America, where some dioceses bless same-sex unions and where an openly gay priest was ordained a bishop.