He claimed during a lecture at the Yale Divinity School that the implications of recent actions by the Church of Nigeria, which had removed all references to being in communion with the See of Canterbury, were "most serious".

He claimed that this was in contrast to the Windsor Report which had sought a "corporate striving to find the will of God in contentious and divisive issues".

Archbishop Eames himself chaired the Lambeth Commission which produced the report.

In a separate meeting in Washington, he was reported in the Anglican Communion News Service to have expressed concern over the role that some conservative wealthy US donors were taking in the current controversy.

He was also reported as claiming that a number of Church figures in the developing world had been offered financial inducements to distance themselves from the Anglican churches of the USA and Canada, which have approved of same-sex relationships.

Conservative leaders have claimed, however, that they were simply trying to help poor Anglican provinces, which could not accept financial aid from those which "differ from them on the issue of homosexuality".

Earlier this week, the Nigerian archbishop, Dr Akinola, a leading opponent of same-sex relationships, issued a strongly-worded open letter to Archbishop Eames on the Anglican website.

He said that if Archbishop Eames had evidence of such financial inducements he should reveal them or "make a public apology to your brother primates".

In a statement, Archbishop Eames underlined that the current debate was "theological" and that he found himself "very disturbed by any speculation around the role that money may play in determining outcomes".

"I feel that when money or assistance is raised in any part of the Anglican Communion and offered for use where it might extend Christ's kingdom, it should be offered and accepted in those terms alone," he said.

Dr Eames said that he in no way questioned the "sincerity and integrity" of the leaders in the developing world, known as the Global South.

He added that he had endeavoured at all times to "maintain and understand" the integrity of their argument.

He also emphasised: "I categorically state I have never believed that any financial offer was accepted by any of those who represent the Global South on any other than terms of Christian outreach. I have communicated this to Archbishop Akinola this morning."

END