Archbishop of Canterbury warns breakaway Anglican movement

The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke out Monday against plans by conservative Anglicans to set up their own global fellowship of those who rejected the liberal teachings of north American and British churches.

Rowan Williams said proposals to set up a separate global council of bishops who would train priests and interpret Scriptures would create more problems than they solve.

"A Primates Council which consists of only a self-selected group ... will not pass the test of legitimacy for all in the Communion," he said. "Any claim to be free to operate across provincial boundaries is fraught with difficulties, both theological and practical."

He also warned that their plans to intervene when congregations around the world complain about the teachings of their local priest would lead to the church being used to settle personal scores.

"How is a bishop or primate in another continent able to discriminate effectively between a genuine crisis of pastoral relationship and theological integrity, and a situation where are underlying non-theological motivations at work?" he said.

Conservative Anglican priests from Africa and some North American and British churches held their own conference in Jerusalem last week to express their outrage at what they consider a "false gospel" in liberal churches.

 Archbishop of Canterbury warns breakaway Anglican movement