African bishop: Robinson should quit

CANTERBURY, England, July 22 (UPI) -- An African bishop at the Lambeth Conference in Britain called Tuesday for the resignation of the Anglican Communion's only openly gay bishop.

Daniel Deng, the archbishop of Sudan, said that the bishops in the U.S. Episcopal Church who voted for Gene Robinson's consecration as bishop of New Hampshire should seek forgiveness for bringing the worldwide Anglican Communion to the brink of schism, The Times of London reported.

More than 200 conservative bishops from Africa and elsewhere have boycotted the conference, held every 10 years. Deng said that he decided to attend because he believes it is important for Sudan to be heard in the West.

The Anglican leader, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, issued a statement saying that both sex outside of marriage and homosexuality violate religious teachings.

"I do not believe that sex outside marriage is as God purposes it," Williams said.

Members of the Gay and Lesbian Christian Movement distributed copies of a 1989 essay, "The Body's Grace," in which Williams said he did not believe sex was just for reproductive purposes.