This follows his predecessor Desmond Tutu's remarks -- quoted in his authorised biography -- that he was "ashamed to be an Anglican" following the Anglican church's decision not to change its stance on gay and lesbian issues some years ago when George Carey was the head of the Anglican church and Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ndungane said in a statement on Friday: "I must first point out that Archbishop Tutu's remark was from a private communication with Archbishop George Carey over one particular issue at a particular time in Anglican Church history."

Ndungane said: "Since I became Archbishop we have moved on from that point and, certainly in the Anglican Church in Southern Africa, the debate on homosexuality has been increasingly opened in a way that it never was before."

Tutu had been aware that the Anglican Church worldwide stood by him during the difficult apartheid years, said Ndungane, who said: "I feel sure that his remark in no way reflected on his feelings for the church as a whole."

"As a past leader of the church in Southern Africa, Archbishop Tutu will have an appreciation of how difficult it is to try to hold together people of different opinions in the complex and diverse world we live in today.

"As Anglicans we continue to value the rich diversity of our people and to strive towards unity. In the church in Southern Africa we condemn homophobia and preach a message of open and loving support for our gay and lesbian members. We are committed to continuing to listen to their views and to empathise with their experience of being homosexual.

"Archbishop Tutu himself felt [as is pointed out in this biography] that we should not be obsessed with the issues of sexuality in the face of the challenges of global poverty and disease. I would join my voice with his in this belief and appeal for Anglicans and others to focus more on what is central to our faith and on life and death priorities."

**News and updates from Oasis, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of California.**