A confederation, modelled along similar lines to the Geneva-based World Lutheran Federation, would loosen the ties between the national provinces in the Church, to the extent that they would be free to adopt almost any practice or doctrine they wished.

The churches at the conservative and liberal ends of the spectrum would still describe themselves as "Anglican" and remain in communion with the mother Church of England through the Archbishop of Canterbury.

But where a national church went too far in embracing modern secular mores, it could be reduced to an observer status or not invited at all to meetings such as the Lambeth Conference, held every ten years.

Such a system would placate the conservatives who have been demanding disciplinary measures against churches such as those in the United States, which ordained an openly gay bishop, and Canada, where same-sex blessings have been authorised.

It would permit provinces effectively to excommunicate each other by refusing to recognise their priests or bishops, but they would remain tied in a loose international Anglican confederation by remaining in communion with Canterbury.

Already it is proposed severely to reduce the number of bishops invited to the next Lambeth Conference in 2008 in South Africa.

The previous Archbishop, Dr George Carey, invited every Anglican bishop, nearly 800 in total, to the last Lambeth Conference in Canterbury in 1998. Sources indicated that, if only for reasons of cost, the number would be reduced in South Africa. Bishop Gene Robinson, the openly gay American bishop recently consecrated in New Hampshire, is unlikely to be on the guest list.

According to a source close to the Lambeth Commission, canon lawyers are preparing for its second meeting next month in Kanuga, North Carolina, by studying the set-up of the worldwide Lutheran church, which embraces wide degrees of theological and ecclesiological difference, to see if this model could be adapted to suit the Anglican Communion.

The source said: "The quality of the communion depends on how far the Western Church is willing to sacrifice its lesbian and gay members." The source indicated: "The primates will be circulated with the recommendations
late July.

"The sort of federation we can expect will probably mirror the Lutheran model, with full members, non-voters and observers, depending on what they¹ve been up to."

The Lutheran model is particularly appropriate because Anglicans and Lutherans are already in a "shared fellowship" agreement with each other through the Porvoo declaration, a British-Nordic-Baltic initiative signed by the Church of England in 1995.

The Anglican Communion is made up of 38 provinces, which account for nearly 70 million Anglicans in 164 countries.

In a letter sent over the weekend to all the primates and moderators of the Anglican Communion, Dr Robin Eames, the Primate of Ireland, who chairs the Lambeth Commission, pleads strongly with conservatives not to split by forming new provinces or dioceses until the commission has completed its work at the end of this year.

He acknowledges the divisions that exist but urges dissenting groups not to break from their parent churches.

"It would be my hope that once the report is published we can take such decisions as necessary in a manner which is unrushed, in Christian charity and by means of due process." Dr Eames writes.

"It is my prayer and earnest hope that the report we are preparing will enable the Anglican Communion to move forward together in ways which will stand the test of time whatever difficulties may arise in future years for our world family."

Copyright 2004 Times Newspapers Ltd.