Last month the General Synod of the Church of England met in Church House to discuss the proposals from the House of Bishops (and the College of Bishops) emerging out of the Living in Love and Faith process. Some individuals spoke about having broken their relationships with their bishops, some argued for some form of alternative episcopal oversight, and and still others openly advocated leaving the Church of England. I thought to speak to the matter, and drafted the speech below, but did not get called upon to speak. Just as well, eh? I doubt anyone would have listened.

Good afternoon. Bruce Bryant-Scott, Europe 113. I speak in favour of the main motion.

I am a veteran of the same-sex blessing and same-sex marriage battles in the Anglican Church of Canada that took place over a decade ago. Conservative clergy and lay leaders opposed to any whiff of church approval of same-sex relations made demands for adequate alternative episcopal oversight. The House of Bishops in Canada made an offer that seemed to fit the bill, but it was rejected. Those wanting to maintain a conservative view on marriage wanted no contagion with the Anglican Church of Canada, and they went to other provinces on the Anglican Communion, such as the Anglican Church of Rwanda, the Province of the Southern Cone of the Americas, and elsewhere. Schism followed, as did lawsuits over property. Allow me to make some observations.

First, schism is horrible. It is a scandal. It is brutal. Previously friendly relationships are broken, and can devolve into acrimonious, antagonistic, and expensive legal action.

Second, in my experience we were all diminished by schism, both those who stayed and those who left. That said, those who left all too often saw their congregations quickly wither away and their ability to do ministry impeded. All too often, rather than being freed by breaking away, they remained chained by their anger and resentment. Those of us who were left moved on from anger and hurt, but we missed our old friends and the challenge to our theologies.

Finally, when the legal battles did break out over property and other such things, the bishops and dioceses almost always won, not merely because they had deep pockets for good lawyers, but more importantly, because the common law and ecclesiastical law was on their side. Dissident groups in the Anglican Church of Canada and in The Episcopal Church were told that they could, with a little bit of effort, leave the officially recognised denominations and take their properties with them. These promises, based on dodgy legal rhetoric, and fueled by anger and adrenaline, failed. The fundamental principle that was borne out again and again, is that while individual clergy and laity may leave a parish or a diocese, a parish cannot leave its bishop and diocese, any more than the metropolis of London can unilaterally leave the United Kingdom.

So, I say to those in this room and outside, those who are contemplating leaving the Church of England, or breaking with your bishop and diocese: don’t. From what I have seen, you will be a more effective force for evangelism by staying in the Church of England. Stay with us. The best theology is hammered out on the anvil of controversy and disagreement. You enrich our common life, despite difference and disagreement. God bless you, and this daft old Church of England.