Bishop of Winchester's speech on ACNA motion

From the Rt Revd Michael Scott-Joynt
February 12th, 2010

NOTE:VOL listened as the bishop delivered his speech, one of the best that day. Bishop Scott-Joynt is orthodox and while close to retirement has been a close friend and supporter of Archbishop Robert Duncan. He has invited the archbishop to come to England to preach and confirm in his diocese.


I am glad to have been among those who supported Lorna Ashworth's motion, which I think needs the development of Bishop Mike's motion but it needs also Mr Vince's, because I want Synod to have the opportunity to express its own wishes and not just to affirm other people's wishes. So I want to vote for Bishop Mike's amendment but in such a way as to also vote for Mr Vince's.

I don't believe this is meddling in the business of TEC or hostile to it. Whatever the point of recognising - that's not our business. Recognising ACNA as part of the Anglican Communion - I don't believe that were that to come in the future, as I should hope it would, that there is a "zero sum" game in this; I hope for overlapping jurisdictions as a way perhaps of recognising there is something of the Gamaliel principle in all this - contrary to an earlier speaker.

Neither I believe - in doing what I hope we shall do this afternoon in passing Mr Vince's amendment etc to what's gone before - neither do I believe that in affirming ANCA in this way I am attacking my other American friends, whether the Communion partner bishops and dioceses or others who in the face of many of the same realities are persevering within TEC.

I am speaking as I am speaking for much the same kinds of reasons though from a different experience as Archdeacon Norman Russell. I have had nearly 10 years of very good experience in the sense of enlivening and deepening my own discipleship and ministry - experience both of the leaders of ACNA as manifestly deeply Anglican friends and colleagues in the gospel, and of friendship with others within TEC, particularly those of the same kind of gospel framework that Archdeacon Norman described.

Lastly I believe that this church will benefit as it seeks to continue to work in however fuzzy but positive a relationship with ACNA, because as I have heard yesterday and at other times, ACNA is exploring in my view a quite remarkable intention to be inclusive of a range of disparate groups and Anglican traditions. Yesterday we heard how this was a matter of learning "mutual submission and collaboration" from Bishop Don Harvey.

There are remarkable ecumenical initiatives opening out precisely through the particular kind of witness that ACNA is seeking to live, to offer, to explore in North America. They have a particularly pronounced mission and church planting focus from which all of us in this church will benefit if we are in some kind of relationship with them.

END