BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: [There was] a pivotal meeting this week for the deeply divided worldwide Anglican Communion. The top leaders of the 77-million member branch of Christianity have gathered in Tanzania to discuss some of the issues that have been splitting their Church apart, and for the first time ever, a woman is part of the meeting -- Katharine Jefferts Schori, the new presiding bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church. Kim Lawton is in Tanzania:

KIM LAWTON: Tensions here have already been extremely high. Several archbishops refused to take communion with Bishop Schori, and they called on the U.S. church to repent for recent actions on gay issues. Conservative archbishops, especially from areas of Africa, Asia, and South America, expressed concerns about what they see as Bishop Schori's liberal theology and her past support of gay rights in the church.

The American representative was elected presiding bishop of the U.S Episcopal Church last June. She's here as an equal to other international archbishops, including some that don't ordain female priests in their own countries.

The meetings so far have been behind closed doors, and armed guards prevent outsiders from getting close.

One of the top issues on the agenda is discussing divisions surrounding the U.S. Episcopal Church. The leaders here are assessing whether the Episcopal Church has done enough to address international Anglican concerns after the Americans ordained an openly gay bishop and moved forward blessing same-sex unions.