From The Telegraph (UK):
The Lambeth Conference was denounced as an "expensive exercise in futility" as it ended with both sides in the battle over homosexuality refusing to compromise.
By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 6:11PM BST 04 Aug 2008
In his final address, the Archbishop of Canterbury urged the 670 Anglican bishops to put an end to their divisive actions that have driven the Anglican Communion to the brink of schism.
In a tacit admission that the problems may never be solved, Dr Rowan Williams pleaded with the American church to halt its liberal agenda of electing gay clergy and blessing same-sex unions, and told conservatives to stop "poaching" bishops from other provinces.
But both sides insisted they would not abide by the ceasefire.
The Rev Susan Russell, the head of the pro-gay Integrity USA group, said: "It's not going to change anything on the ground in California.
"We bless same-sex unions and will continue to do so."
The head of the Anglican province that covers much of South America, The Most Rev Gregory Venables, also pledged to carry on taking conservative North American parishes into his church.
Traditionalist church leaders from the developing world also complained once more that they felt patronised and ignored by those in the West during the conference.
As Lambeth ended with the Communion no nearer to solving its problems, one bishop branded the 20-day meeting, which cost £5 million to stage and which is facing a £2 million shortfall, as a waste of time and money.
The Rt Rev Richard Ellena, Bishop of Nelson, New Zealand, said: "I believe that this has been the most expensive exercise in futility I have ever been to."
The conference had been designed to allow the bishops to discuss their differences in small groups rather than take votes and make declarations.
Some progress was made on a Covenant of shared principles, while a new "pastoral forum" was announced as a way to resolve new crises as they emerge.
In a surprise move, Dr Williams also called a meeting of the church's 38 province leaders – known as Primates – to gauge whether those who boycotted Lambeth will attend and show their commitment to the Communion. One in four bishops stayed away in protest at the presence of the liberals.
But the Archbishop admitted no solutions had yet been reached and none are likely unless both sides change their ways.
He said: "We may not have put an end to all our problems – but the pieces are on the board."
He later added: "I think if the North Americans do not accept the covenant then to say the least we are no further forward.
"Some of the processes of certain dioceses continue to put our relationship as a Communion under strain and certain problems won't be solved while those continue."
The Archbishop believes the Covenant will help keep the Communion together but it may not be voted on by the critically important American church until 2015, by which time the liberal and conservative wings are likely to have moved even further apart.
Orthodox Anglicans who met in Jerusalem recently are busy creating their own council of Primates and a rival North American province for those who believe the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin.
The Bishop of South Caroline, Mark Lawrence, yesterday hailed the Gafcon movement as the "heir apparent" to assume leadership of the Communion.
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