Archbishop Harper said that if it can be biologically proven that homosexuality is natural then the Church must reconsider "what may be a new status for homosexual relationships".

Anger

But last night a Church of Ireland rector attacked the Archbishop's remarks as "very wrong" and said a large swathe of the Church would be "very angry" about the remarks.

The row follows hot on the heels of the recent controversy in which DUP MP Iris Robinson said that homosexuality was sinful and "an abomination".

Archbishop Harper called for Anglicans around the world to return to the core principles of the faith in order to resolve the controversy over gay marriages.

Natural

Addressing the Anglicans in World Mission conference in Swanwick, England, Archbishop Harper said if evidence came to light that homosexuality is biologically predetermined then the Church would have to reflect that fact.

Concluding his speech, the Archbishop said: "It has not yet been conclusively shown that for some males and some females homosexuality and homosexual acts are natural rather than unnatural.

"If such comes to be shown, it will be necessary to acknowledge the full implications of that new aspect of the truth, and that insight applied to establish and acknowledge what may be a new status for homosexual relationships within the church."

Disagreement

But the Rev James McMaster, rector of St Nicholas' Church of Ireland in Carrickfergus, said he believes most members of the Church of Ireland would disagree with the Archbishop.

"It's certainly not the Church's position. It may be Archbishop Harper's postion but it is certainly not the Church of Ireland position; it's not the position of very many of us and it's not the Bible's position.

"Unfortunately, when Archbishop Harper speaks, people think he's representing the Church of Ireland and speaking for it, but he definitely is not on this occasion," the Rev McMaster said.

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