A former dean of the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge disclosed that he is homosexual at an annual meeting of his colleagues.

In a three-page letter addressed to the bishops at the meeting in Panama of the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops at the end of September, Bishop E. Otis Charles wrote, "For the past several months, I have openly communicated with my family and growing numbers of my colleagues and friends that I am a gay man."

It was the first time that a bishop in a mainline American denomination has admitted publicly that he is gay.

Charles said in his message that "I have promised myself that I will not remain silent, invisible, unknown. The choice for me is not whether or not I am a gay man, but whether or not I am honest about who I am with myself and others."

Although Charles said he first realized he was gay in 1976, he said he felt that his responsibilities to the diocese of Utah, where he is formerly a bishop, and as the dean of the Episcopal Divinity School prevented him from announcing it earlier in his life.

The issue of homosexuality in the Episcopal Church, which has 2.5 million members, has been fiercely debated, and in 1991 the faith officially ruled against allowing practicing homosexuals into the ministry.

Reverend Todd H. Wetzel, the executive director of Episcopalians United, said he disapproved of Charles' actions and described him as "another leader who supported the gay agenda for a self-asserting motive."

Despite some criticism from the Episcopalian community, Charles said he plans to continue practicing in the ministry, especially in helping families with gay children. He said he wants to "find ways to allow my experience to inform my ministry and to make a contribution to others."

But in an interview at the Panama conference, Charles said he was concerned that his 40 years of work for the Episcopalian ministry would be overlooked in light of his announcement.

Charles led the Utah diocese from 1971 to 1986. Bishop George E. Bates, current Episcopal leader of Utah, urged the people of Utah to "treat him with the same love and grace with which he treated us all here."

When told of Charles' desire to continue to practice, a former colleague at the Episcopalian Divinity School said, "Otis has a streak of feisty determination."

--This article was compiled with the help of wire dispatches.