In 2003, the American revisionists, in a foolhardy way, did something that put a fact on the table [the consecration of an active gay man as Bishop of New Hampshire], then dared us all to do something about it. Well, it’s happened, and they’ve got to live with the consequences.”

Asked if GAFCON had created a separate Church, to all intents and purposes, Dr Jensen said:”Does that lead to separate communions or denominations? No. The network is going to look a bit different, and clearly the Primates’s Council is going to operate as a new centre of authority within the Anglican Communion. But it doesn’t presume to have all authority.

Nor was it a “church within a church”: “I don’t like that expression”, Dr Jensen said. “because, first of all, I don’t think the Anglican Communion is a ‘Church’, and secondly, because I don’t think what we’ve created here is a Church.” A better parallel was with the Anglo-Catholic movement in the 19^th century, or the Evangelical movement of the 18^th. It was a “spiritual movement . . . a missionary movement.”

A key indication of whether or not this is a split will be continuing communion with those outside the new fellowship. Dr Jensen was adamant: in the Church of Australia, he said, “many of the other bishops would not sign this or be part of this movement. But am I out of fellowship with them? No. That would be a very serious thing for me, if any suggestion were made that I had somehow broken away from the Anglican Church of Australia. I certainly haven’t done so.”