Anglican Bishop of Kingston Reverend Dr Robert Thompson said yesterday’s decision by two prominent Episcopal parishes in Virginia to break away from the church over the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay bishop, should not have any structural implications for the Anglican body in Jamaica.

“Obviously, there will be implications because we are a part of an Anglican communion and if one element, one aspect, or one individual within that communion is hurting we are going to be affected, but structurally it will have no impact on us here,” he said.

Bishop Thompson pointed out that the structures have been put in place by the Archbishop of Canterbury and by the instruments of authority within the Anglican communion and those structures are working in the best interest of the collective good of the church.

He further explained that there are parishes within dioceses that have fundamental differences with the official position of the Episcopal church, but not the diocese.

“No diocese has yet severed its relationship from the province of the Episcopal Church of the United States,” said Thompson. “However, congregations have made those decisions, but I don’t know what the implications of that will be and so I would have to familiarise myself with the report which I don’t have access to right now.”