Churches in the United States are weaving music from the Irish rock band U2 with their more formal traditional liturgy.

A coalition of American churches sharply denounced the United States-led war in Iraq today, accusing Washington of “raining down terror”.

The Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop, V Gene Robinson, is being treated for alcoholism.

An international panel of Anglican archbishops today called upon a gathering of their conservative American counterparts to split from the rest of the US Episcopal Church unless it abides by traditional teachings.

Brad Pitt is among leading celebrities featured in new public service announcements for a campaign led by U2 singer Bono to fight poverty and Aids.

The first openly gay Anglican bishop says he is being falsely accused of suggesting Jesus might have been homosexual.

The leaders of the Anglican Communion around the world are meeting in Northern Ireland this week to discuss the crisis surrounding homosexuality in the church and the appointment of an openly gay bishop in the United States.

AN Anglican church commission sharply criticised the US Episcopal Church yesterday for consecrating a gay bishop and called on the church to apologise and refrain from promoting any other clergy living in a same-sex union.

The global Anglican Communion is ”broken” over the confirmation of a gay bishop in New Hampshire and may be beyond repair, the most influential Anglican leader in Africa said today.

WASHINGTON’S National Cathedral will resound to the voices of three Irish tenors today.

The Episcopal Diocese of California has sanctioned a retired bishop for marrying his same-sex partner during a church ceremony in San Francisco, according to a published report.

The approval of a gay bishop in New Hampshire fractured the church to such an extent that “we are in danger”, former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey has told a summit of Anglican leaders.

SEVEN months after his confirmation rocked the Episcopal community, V Gene Robinson officially became the ninth Bishop of New Hampshire and the first openly gay bishop in church history.

The Anglican Communion’s first openly gay bishop has officially taken over his new diocese in the US.

Gay bishop Gene Robinson has said he would marry his partner “in a minute” if he had the chance.

EPISCOPAL conservatives in the US who are bitterly opposed to same-sex blessings and the ordination of gay clergy have launched a nationwide organisation that plans to defy church leaders and may well wrestle with them for control of parishes and dioceses.

IMAGINE the scene. President Bush is doing a dry run before his State of the Union address. Just as he is running through some problem words and phrases, the door opens. It’s Karl Rove, his key political advisor.

Pope John Paul II today called for Christians to overcome the “painful trial” of their divisions as the faithful grappled with such issues as the election of a gay Episcopal bishop and hostility between Catholic and Orthodox faithful in eastern Europe.

The Rev Gene Robinson began his ministry as the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop by saying he wanted to bring the message of God’s love to “those on the margins”.

Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man elevated to that rank in any major Christian denomination, said today that the church will survive the tumult surrounding his election.

ANGLICANS did not have to wait long for the backlash following the consecration of a gay bishop by the allied Episcopal church in the US.

Anglicans did not have to wait long for the backlash following the consecration of a gay bishop by the allied Episcopal church in the US.

The conservative Anglican archbishop of Sydney today branded an openly gay US church leader a “bishop of disunity” and said his consecration had split the global Anglican communion.

THE Anglican church's first openly gay bishop said yesterday he was praying that his appointment would not lead to people leaving the church.

The Episcopal Church in the US has voted to approve the election of their first openly gay bishop, a decision that risks splitting their denomination and shattering ties with their Anglican sister churches worldwide.

A CLERGYMAN seeking to become the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church was “surprised and dismayed” by 11th-hour allegations questioning his reputation but remained calm as an investigation got under way, a spokesman said yesterday.

The clergyman seeking to become the first openly gay bishop in America’s Anglican Church was “surprised and dismayed” by eleventh-hour allegations questioning his reputation, a spokesman said today.

US Episcopal leaders delayed a vote on whether to confirm the church’s first openly gay elected bishop after allegations emerged that he inappropriately touched a man and posted a pornography link on a youth website, a church spokesman said.

US Episcopal leaders delayed a vote tonight on whether to confirm the church’s first openly gay elected bishop after allegations emerged that he inappropriately touched a man and posted a pornography link on a youth website, a church spokesman said.

FOR the first time in the United States, Episcopalians today elected an openly gay man as the next bishop in the state of New Hampshire.

For the first time in the United States, Episcopalians today elected an openly gay man as the next bishop in the state of New Hampshire.