The primates of the Anglican Communion unanimously reaffirmed that sexually active homosexual persons deserve the same pastoral care as any other human being, but implementation of a liturgical blessing of such relationships remains outside the boundary of acceptable practice.

The statement was part of a wide range of subjects covered in a pastoral letter released at the conclusion of the annual conference May 19-26 in Gramado, Brazil.

In addition to addressing sexuality, the letter spoke about the church’s role as a peacemaker in areas such as the Sudan and the Middle East and its response to the AIDS pandemic. The letter also reflected on the need for further development of uniquely Anglican standards of theological education.

But sexuality seems to have drawn the strongest initial reaction. The Rev. Michael Hopkins, president of Integrity USA, and the Rev. Susan Russell, executive director of Claiming the Blessing, an issue-based advocacy group seeking inclusion of a service of liturgical blessing for same-sex couples in the Book of Occasional Services, jointly issued a response to the pastoral letter in which they said members of the coalition were amazed at the primates’ lack of prophetic insight, affronted that the group apparently will not be welcomed gracefully on its own terms, and concluded that the coalition remained determined to press on toward General Convention and deal with the consequences afterward.