Despite the conciliatory tone and statement supported by all 37 Anglican primates a break in the Anglican church between the liberal and conservative church may still occur when Canon Gene Robinson is ordained as a USA bishop.

The reality is that the various Anglican provinces have been out of communion for a number of years over the issue of women priests and bishops and the issue of gay bishops may be the trigger point for the more conservative provinces to break from the Anglican communion.

The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, while having groups for and against gay priests, is unlikely to split over this issue. It's current structure allows for a diversity of opinion with the Nelson Diocese opposing gay priests and Penny Jamieson, Bishop of Dunedin, supporting gay priests.

Meanwhile in Australia where gays are opposed in the church by a number of the conservative dioceses- especially Sydney - the focus is on women with the Melbourne diocese last week deciding to allow the immediate ordination of female bishops ahead of a decision by the wider Australian Anglican church in October.

Unlike the Catholic church each Anglican province is independent but in communion with each other. The "in communion" will be tested in the next couple of months.