The bishops merely regretted their failure to consult others before consecrating a gay bishop, Akinola said, and an admission that this "offended God and his church" is necessary or "there can be no hope of meaningful reconciliation."

Instead of the requested moratorium on gay bishops, the Americans halted all bishop consecrations. Akinola said this "disingenuous" step "holds the entire church to ransom for the sin of a few."

These figures will strengthen the case of those who have campaigned for an end to the "glass ceiling" for female clergy by allowing them to become bishops.

The overall total of 564 men and women being recommended to train as future clergy in the Church of England in 2004 is the highest number in six years. The figure represents an increase of more than 10 percent over the 505 recommended in 2003. It has only twice been exceeded in the last 20 years: in 1986 and 1998.

The Los Angeles gathering would be the first admission of schism by the 2.2-million-member denomination.

"It'll be who gets the money and who gets the kids," Bishop Jecko said. "I hope it will be an amicable divorce. ... Those of us on the [theologically] orthodox side have no interest in going to court."

The diocese of Salisbury, one of the oldest in Britain, is among those asking clergy to turn financial detective. In a letter it asks them to detail the "earning capacity" and "employment types" of their worshippers and asks staff to collect information about the size and style of homes owned by churchgoers. The advice urges clergy to "look in the car park" to gauge the earning power of worshippers.