The Church of England faces a new split over the issue of women bishops after supporters of the plans vowed not to compromise ahead of a crucial vote on the issue at the General Synod in York next week. Leading figures supporting the women's campaign from politics and the Church gathered at Westminster Abbey to warn legislators that the time has come to consecrate women as bishops, with no formal provision in law for traditonalists who object to the move on grounds of conscience.
More than 4,000 Anglicans have given their support to calls for the introduction of women bishops without special legislation to protect opponents of the move
This includes 1,276 women clergy, whose signatures have been gathered in support of a letter written by Canon Lucy Winkett, precentor of St Paul's Cathedral, Canon Jane Hedges, Canon Steward of Westminster Abbey, and the Rev Rosemary Lain-Priestley, secretary of the National Association of Diocesan Advisers in Women's Ministry.
"This is a very important moment for the Church. It is the logical, inevitable and right course," said Canon Winkett, who is widely tipped as an early candidate for consecration as bishop under the proposed new law. "It is right in principle and timing. But not at any cost. We would rather wait than see legislation [to provide for] those who in conscience can't accept women bishops."
An official Church report from a working group chaired by the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, in April set out the options for the introduction of women bishops, including a separate "diocese" enshrined in law for those who could not accept a woman as their bishop. The House of Bishops has recommended that no such legal provision should be applied, but that a simple code of conduct should provide for dissenters, directing clergy to respect the consciences of traditionalists.
Rev Christina Rees, chair of Women And The Church (WATCH) read out messages of support from a Methodist, a Roman Catholic priest and Robert Key, Conservative MP for Salisbury, who said: "I cannot believe in the 21st century Jesus Christ would teach discrimination."
Ann Cryer, Labour MP for Keighley and Ilkley, who like Mr Key has laid down an early day motion in Parliament in support of women bishops, said that her step-daughter had been ordained: "I'm sure she's wonderful priest and would be a wonderful bishop. If she's not going to be a bishop, I can live with that. But what I can't live with is legislation that is against her being a bishop."
The Very Rev Colin Slee, Dean of Southwark, said that "the majority of male ordained clergy support women bishops and senior clergy support a change of policy for reasons of consistency and theology." Some 40 per cent of all ordained clergy in the Diocese of Southwark are women.
Opponents of women bishops claim that they should have legal provision under a new regime and the women's lobby is anxious to make a code-of-conduct solution work, for fear of legislation that creates a two-tier episcopacy. Canon Peggy Jackson, Dean of Women's Ministry in Southwark Diocese, referred to those who cannot accept women bishops as "conscientious objectors" and said that there was a "moral obligation to provide for conscience."
Bishop McCulloch will lead discussions on the Manchester Report at Synod on Saturday, aimed at taking the sting out of the debate and vote on Monday. If the vote is carried, draft legislation will be considered at Synod in February next year.
A spokesman for the conservative Evangelical group, Reform, said: "Synod must decide. Does it want to keep conservatives, both evangelical and catholic, in or to exclude them? A refusal by Synod to provide legal provisions for those who disagree with women bishops is tantamount to a clear decision to exclude many faithful Anglicans from the Church of England. We want to urge Synod members to pull back from the brink, to recognise the deep division that will occur if no legislative provisions are made. The code of conduct proposed is not enough."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce