BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Nine Anglican archbishops from overseas are in the United States supporting a burgeoning movement that began with Episcopalians disenchanted over liberal theology, including the acceptance of homosexuality.

The archbishops were a main draw for more than 800 people attending a meeting yesterday of the Anglican Mission in America, which was founded five years ago and has gained steam since the Episcopal church's decision to consecrate an openly gay man as bishop in 2003.

The Rev. Terrell Glenn, a former Episcopal priest now affiliated with the Anglican Mission, said members were encouraged to see the Africans at the conference, which concludes tomorrow.

"Their presence here is a statement that says, 'What you are doing is good,' " said Glenn, of Pawleys Island, S.C.

However, these visits anger many U.S. Episcopal leaders, who view the archbishops as encouraging schism at a time when the denomination and the global Anglican Communion are desperately trying to stay together. The Episcopal Church, with 2.3 million members in the United States, is an arm of the Anglican Communion, which has 77 million members worldwide.

The widening split is over the authority of the Bible. Conservatives believe gay sex violates Scripture, while those who support ordaining gays do not.

Speaking in an interview with The Birmingham News, Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya said "repentance" is "the only thing that can repair the church."

The mission is officially a project of the Anglican church in Rwanda, and has ties to the church in Southeast Asia. The visible support from the seven other archbishops, all from Africa, where Anglicanism is expanding, is a new development.

About 100 U.S. churches and small groups are now affiliated with the Anglican Mission, and fewer than half are congregations that formerly identified themselves as Episcopalian, said the Rev. Jay Greener, a spokesman for the group.

The rest are new congregations that include Episcopalians, people from other mainline denominations and new converts, he said.

Learn more: www.theamia.org