New York ? Three decades of debate about the role of gays in the Episcopal Church have created rifts that could finally split the denomination and global Anglicanism this week when church leaders gather for their national meeting.

Delegates to the Minneapolis convention will decide whether to approve blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples and confirm the church’s first election of an openly gay bishop — V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

The outcome could splinter the 77-million-member global Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church is the U.S. member. A 1998 gathering of Anglican leaders, called the Lambeth Conference, approved a resolution calling gay sex “incompatible with Scripture.”

Conservatives from the United States have warned that if the church approves either Robinson’s election or same-sex blessings, they will align themselves with like-minded bishops from Africa, Asia and Latin America who have already separated from some dioceses that tolerate homosexuality.

Among the conservatives is Archbishop Peter Akinola, head of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, which serves 17.5 million people and ranks second in size to the mother Church of England among 38 Anglican branches.

The Episcopal Church has 2.3 million members.

Those who support a wider role for gays in the church contend that conservatives have exaggerated the threat to unity, and note that among the bishops sounding the most alarm are many who pledged to break ties before over issues such as ordaining women — then did not follow through.

Akinola, visiting the United States last week, emerged from a strategy session with conservatives and said: “This time we mean it.”

The 10-day convention begins Wednesday.