The division amongst Anglicans has deepened after the Church of England disclosed its ground-breaking decision to appoint the openly gay but celibate Canon of Southwark and an Oxford-trained theologian, Jeffrey John, as Dean of St Albans in Hertfordshire. The new appointments will shake the worldwide Anglican community following the last ordination in America of Gene Robinson, a homosexual, as the Bishop of New Hampshire.

Especially for traditionalist Anglicans, one cleric described Dr. John’s appointment as “outrageous? The Rev David Holloway, a leading member of Reform, an evangelical group, said some mainstream Anglicans in St Albans and across the country would feel alienated.

He warned that this is a very serious issue for the Church of England. The new installation and support for homosexuality is basically institutional heresy and decadence. The Church of England has been accused of creating a "spiritual vacuum" in Britain.

"The issue of homosexuality is a problem for the whole Church. What the Church is teaching on the issue is a key question at a time when the breakdown of marriage and the social nexus that holds us together is leading to the disintegration of society," said Rev Holloway. "In the Church of England at the moment we have a spiritual vacuum. We want the Church to grow, not by any old means but by true teaching of the scriptures."

David Virtue, an evangelical who runs Virtuosity, a website that campaigns for traditional values, added, "It is a backdoor attempt to make homosexuality mainstream in the Church of England."

A spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said that the decision is surprising as provinces throughout the Anglican Church had been asked to refrain from controversial action until the 19-member Lambeth commission (set up by Dr Williams and the Archbishop of Canterbury to resolve the gay clergy crisis) reports at the end of this year.

Some suspected that Tony Blair personally sanctioned the controversial appointment of a gay priest to one of the most important Church of England jobs as part of a Downing Street campaign to warn Anglican leaders that a person's sexuality should not bar them from senior positions.

John's promotion has been recommended by the Prime Minister's appointments secretary, William Chapman and endorsed by Tony Blair. It is understood that there will be a backlash from churches. However, Chapman was adamant that John, seen by many as one of the most brilliant theologians of his generation, should be given a senior position.

Downing Street, due to make the announcement on Tuesday, would not comment.