Bishop heads to Tanzania

NEW YORK, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- The Episcopal Church's new presiding bishop was headed from New York to Tanzania to meet with African primates angry over her acceptance of gay clergy.

Some of the primates, or bishops, have said they won't sit with Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as she represents American Episcopalians at a meeting with the presiding bishops of the 37 other provinces in the global Anglican Communion, The New York Times said.

Some of the Africans split with the American church after it ordained an openly gay bishop.

Jefferts Schori told the Times the dispute has more to do with "biblical interpretation" than homosexuality.

"We have had gay bishops and gay clergy for millennia," she said. "The willingness to be open about that is more recent."