BISHOP GRISWOLD: I find it difficult to answer hypothetical questions. I can only say that given our experience and given the desires of the people and clergy of the diocese of New Hampshire, I feel that they have acted honourably, that the Episcopal Church has acted honourably and I do hope in the fullness of time that the Anglican communion will hold together in spite of differences. I think one of the things I've learned over the years is that the contexts in which we do our theology are so very different.

For example, in the United States and probably here as well, there is the theological latitude that simply doesn't exist in a nation that has, let us say, a very strong Muslim presence, because if the Christian community admitted a variety of points of view or interpretations, they probably would suffer tremendously because the other religions are so fierce and clear.

So I think the more we as Anglicans can appreciate the fact that we always do our theology in context, the more we can make room for one another's differences.

DAVID FROST: What do you think about the practice here in this country for our bishops and archbishops to say that in terms of gays and homosexuals in positions in the church, priests in the church, they can be deep down homosexual but they must not practice it. Do you think that's out of date now?

BISHOP GRISWOLD: I think every province of the Anglican communion has its own realities and each province is going to have to live its realities in its very own way.

DAVID FROST: What does that mean?

BISHOP GRISWOLD: That means that the Church of England is going to have to figure out its own way and establish its own criteria, just as the Episcopal Church in the United States is going to have to make its decisions…

DAVID FROST: When you see something happening like in San Francisco, where they have gay marriages, currently - obviously civil ceremonies, not - but in terms of couples attesting to their long term relationships and so on, do you think that's a healthy thing or not?

BISHOP GRISWOLD: In the United States we're, we're very much involved in a public debate as to what is the best way to acknowledge that reality in our public life, just as the Church is trying to figure out what is the best way, pastorally, to deal with this reality.

And I must say the Church is also on record as being very strongly supportive of the civil and legal rights of homosexual persons.

DAVID FROST: But I mean would you, would you say that there will one day perhaps in a decade, maybe, that there would, it's conceivable there would be gay church weddings?

BISHOP GRISWOLD: I think -

DAVID FROST: Same sex couples.

BISHOP GRISWOLD: Well again, I hate to try to predict things, but certainly looking at some of the pastoral responses that have been made within congregations thus far to gay and lesbian couples, I think it may be the case that in the future there will be some pastoral response on the part of the Church that will be less guarded…

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