The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams apologised today for statements he has made about gay people in the church.
In the last 12 months, Dr Williams has said that the gay "lifestyle" is at odds with the church's teaching. He also said that the appointment of lesbian Los Angeles assistant bishop Mary Glasspool was "divisive".
Addressing the General Synod today, he asked for unity between conservatives and liberals over issues such as gay clergy and female bishops to avoid a schism.
The Archbishop said: "The debate over the status and vocational possibilities of LGBT people in the church is not helped by ignoring the existing facts, which include many regular worshippers of gay or lesbian orientation and many sacrificial and exemplary priests who share this orientation.
"There are ways of speaking about the question that seem to ignore these human realities or to undervalue them; I have been criticised for doing just this, and I am profoundly sorry for the carelessness that could give such an impression."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/02/09/archbishop-of-canterbury-profoundly-sorry-for-comments-on-homosexuality/