The former Anglican Bishop of Winchester, Michael Scott-Joynt, has died aged 71.
The bishop of Winchester from 1995 to 2011, Scott-Joynt was a regular contributor to pages of The Tablet and came from the Catholic tradition of the Church of England. He was the chairman of an Anglican bishops’ working party on marriage and divorce and joined with eight other bishops, most of them Evangelical, in opposing the appointment of gay celibate Jeffrey John as bishop of Reading. Under pressure, John withdrew his acceptance of the nomination.
In his last years at Winchester he furthered the diocese’s links with the Church in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
His successor, Bishop Tim Dakin, issued a message on the diocesan website.
“Bishop Michael Scott-Joynt died on Saturday afternoon. His family were with him and he had been anointed; two bishop colleagues had prayed with him."
“Michael led this diocese with great integrity, both through his ministry and his strength of personality. I had the joy of working with him on a number of occasions before his retirement and then it was an honour to follow in his footsteps as Bishop of Winchester. Michael was a true servant for the Church of England at home and for the wider Anglican Communion abroad, particularly in Africa. He will long be remembered in our parishes and his presence sorely missed.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, paid tribute to "a faithful, hard working and distinguished servant".
"He was a person not afraid to say what he believed, even when he knew those views might not be popular. But all this he did from his deep faith, and after much careful prayer."
"Sadly he did not have a long retirement, and in much of it he suffered illness. But characteristically, he would come to events when he could, where his presence was always welcomed. He enjoyed a wonderful marriage and Lou was at his side when he died. To her and to daughter Hannah and sons Matthew and Jeremy and all the family I offer deepest sympathy and prayers, which will include prayers of deep thankfulness for this faithful servant of Jesus Christ," he wrote.
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