The consecration of openly gay U.S. Bishop Gene Robinson in 2003 has split the 400-year-old church -- setting a liberal minority against a conservative majority, mostly from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

"Since this crisis has not yet been resolved, the Bishops of the Church of Uganda have resolved that they will not be participating in the Lambeth Conference," Orombi said in a statement.

One of Australia's most powerful Anglican leaders has said that bishops from Sydney would also miss the conference, being held in Canterbury, southern England.

Earlier this month, the archbishop trying to mediate the row and placate both sides said he did not expect 100 percent attendance at July's Lambeth Conference, a meeting which is held every 10 years.

Uganda's Orombi said homosexual practice was incompatible with the Scriptures, and that the boycott was to protest at invitations sent to leaders from the pro-gay rights Episcopal (TEC) Church to attend Lambeth.

"This decision has been made to protest the invitations extended by the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Rowan Williams, to TEC Bishops whose stand and unrepentant actions created the current crisis of identity and authority in the Anglican Communion," the statement added.

Orombi said the Church was holding consultations about plans for an alternative meeting of "Biblically orthodox Anglican Bishops, clergy, and laity" in Jerusalem in June.

If it goes ahead -- 6 weeks before the Lambeth Conference -- the move may irretrievably fracture the church, which has 77 million followers.