Disagreeing over gay marriage could damage the church

A difference of opinion over same-sex marriage could cause fractures within the church, a leading religious figure has warned.

The US based Episcopal Church has talked of a possible restructuring by way of a "pastoral scheme" which has caused concern for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Reuters News Agency reports.

The suggested scheme would allow individual dioceses to align themselves with more conservative elements of the church by way of a regional representative to traditionalist bishops.

Speaking at news conference in Toronto, Dr Rowan Williams said: "We may come to a point where people feel there are irreconcilable differences. But when there is an overlap between human rights and what the church can endorse, it does no good to isolate ideas... If the Anglican Church divides, everyone will lose.

"It is not just a case of nice people who want to include gay people in the church and nasty ones who do not. It is a question of what marriage is according to church doctrine and what types of behaviours that the church has the power to bless.

"The communion has to face the fact that there is a division in our church and it's getting deeper and more bitter. I think the goal of maintaining the highest degree of unity has to be the number one concern."