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Australia's Anglican Church has split, with a conservative group of bishops opposed to same-sex marriage forming a breakaway group.
Key points:
- Tasmanian bishop Richard Condie said the new diocese would be a "safe place for Anglicans" who "can no longer sit under the authority of their bishop"
- The new group will be led by retired Sydney archbishop Glenn Davies
- The diocese's first church service was held at an RSL club at Beenleigh in Logan, Queensland
Described as an "Anglican lifeboat for faithful Christians", the newly formed Diocese of the Southern Cross was announced at the Global Anglican Future Conference in Canberra over the weekend.
Bishop of Tasmania and chair of the conference Richard Condie said decisions made at a recent Synod of church leaders "opens the way to blessings for same-sex marriages".
The Right Reverend Dr Condie said: "Those of us who hold to scriptural teaching believe that that's not what the Bible teaches about marriage".
"Marriage is between a man and a woman, as The Bible teaches," Bishop Condie said.
"We have found that adoption of that new teaching quite difficult."
Bishop Condie said the new diocese would be a "safe place for Anglicans" who "can no longer sit under the authority of their bishop".
He said the new diocese would also address concerns about "the lowering of standards, particularly in sexual ethics for leaders in the Anglican Church".
Bishop Condie is referring to church leaders who are in same-sex relationships.
He said the new church would welcome women and divorced people as leaders "as long as the circumstances of that are understood and people are repentant".
But it is not clear if women could be ordained.
"It's a little early to tell exactly what the diocese will decide to do, but we want to welcome women into the life of the church," Bishop Condie said.
New diocese to be led by former Sydney archbishop
The new group will be led by retired Sydney archbishop Glenn Davies, who described the formation of the new diocese as a "sad day".
"I love the Anglican Church of Australia," Bishop Davies said.
"The revisionist teaching of leaders around certain parts of the country has forced this situation."
The diocese's first church service was held at an RSL club at Beenleigh in Logan, Queensland.
"I have no doubt that many others will join," Bishop Davies said.
He said church assets would remain with the Anglican Church.
"Unless the diocese wishes to sell the property, which is a very generous thing and that may be the case, but we shall see.
"So this will be a sacrificial move on behalf of clergy, lay people and parishioners who recognise it's actually more important to follow Jesus and his teachings than to stick with property."
Bishop Davies said the new congregations would have to meet at community halls and other venues.
He said similar splits within the Anglican Church had occurred around the world.
Bishop Davies said if the church were to "repent and change their ways, we wouldn't need the Diocese of the Cross".