A liberal bishop from Sri Lanka suggested to his colleagues at the Lambeth Conference today that they should take the afternoon off to settle their theological differences over a game of cricket.

The sporting invitation from the Rt Rev Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo, came in an otherwise hard-hitting sermon in which he reminded all 650 bishops attending Lambeth that the Anglican Church was an "inclusive" community where everyone was equal, regardless of sexual orientation.

The sermon marked the official start of the conference in Canterbury and confirmed the Church's liberal direction. But Bishop de Chickera – who was preaching at the personal invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams – freely admitted the "reality" of the current divisions over gay consecrations and same-sex blessings.

Full story:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4368209.ece

Riazat Butt in the London Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/21/anglicanism.religion

The Guardian's report of the opening service:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/21/anglicanism.religion