Q. There is a very real risk, is there not, that the whole Anglican Communion will come to pieces, with Rowan ending up effectively forced out?

‘If that should happen, I would have to say that something else is at work beyond my consecration. We have faced many divisions before – the ordination of women, the consecration of the first woman bishop – all sorts of things. If the destructive forces are so strong as to cause that sort of dissolution, then something much larger than the issue of homosexuality is at stake here. The people that we find on the Conservative end of this issue are generally the same people who opposed liturgical reform, the ordination of women and so on. These people have been unhappy for a very long time. I think in some ways my consecration was just an opportune event on which to hang this larger struggle. Personally I think George W Bush had it in his mind to attack Iraq and 9/11 became a wonderful excuse for doing so. It’s like that.’

Q. Where do you see yourself positioned in the church?

‘As a matter of fact I’m more evangelical than almost anyone you would run into in the Episcopal Church. I come out of evangelical roots and see my ministry as one of evangelism. When I speak to gay and lesbian groups I don’t talk to them about gay rights, I talk to them about their souls. My goal is to get them to church and bring them to Jesus. I speak that language and believe it with my whole heart. I believe that Jesus is standing at the doorway to our hearts every moment of the day and my mission is to encourage people of all stripes to open that door and let Jesus in.’

The Times Online Blog