Former US President Jimmy Carter, who left the 15 million strong Southern Baptist denomination because of its exclusivism, has enthusiastically backed a three day convention seeking reconciliation among the wider US Baptist community.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has expressed concern about the ‚Äúrecrimination and bitterness‚Äù that may accompany a formal split in the 77 million worldwide Anglican Communion ‚Ä' though he admits that ‚Äúit's not the worst thing in the world‚Äù.
The future of the 77 million-strong worldwide Anglican Communion was complicated further last night (16 December 2006) with the announcement that two large evangelical congregations in the US have voted to break away from the Episcopal Church, primarily because of its decision three years ago to consecrate a gay bishop, Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.