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The ACN was formed at the suggestion of the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, in the wake of the controversy regarding Anglican views of homosexuality. In the United States, the flashpoint for the controversy was the consecration of the openly homosexual Gene Robinson as Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire . In Canada, the main trigger was the approval of same-sex unions by the Diocese of New WestminsterThe Diocese of New Westminster is an Anglican Church of Canada diocese in British Columbia, based in Vancouver. The current bishop is Michael Ingham. The diocese is comprised of the Regional Districts of Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Sunshine Coast, P. Most of the work in establishing the ACN was performed by the American Anglican Council , a group of theologically conservative congregations within the Episcopal Church. The current ACN President is Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh.
Fourteen Anglican primates from the developing world, representing over half of the world's Anglicans, have officially endorsed the creation of the ACN. Many of these primates have expressed concern over the recent actions of ECUSA, and some have taken initial steps toward breaking communion with ECUSA.