In his address, Bishop Langstaff said that his presentation was more
of a means of an opening session.
These groups would each contain at least one
member of the House of Bishops, as well as one member of the steering
committee that had put together the proposals.
Bishop Langstaff was particularly lauding in his praise of the
committee.
He commented on the fact that despite the inclusion of
members from a diverse range and in some cases deeply opposed parts of
the Church's doctrinal spectrum, an agreement was reached, and the
members had been able to listen and engage with one another as fellow
Christians, enjoying each other's company in the progress.
"We have met together, we have eaten together, we have sat in the bar
of a long evening together," Bishop Langstaff had said "and perhaps
most importantly, we have prayed together".
At one point in his speech, the bishop described the task set before
the steering committee as "impossible… many of us had thought".
The goal was, he explained, rather than changing any one section's
doctrinal position, instead to find a way to include those whose
theological position could not countenance women bishops alongside those
who would be very welcoming of such a move.
The central plank of this
compromise has been the creation of what the bishop referred to as a
"mandatory grievance procedure" which allowed for parishes and diocese
with concern about the leadership of a female bishop to register their
concerns and seek oversight on a specific issue from a male figure of
authority.
This is the alternative to the two tier systems and so called
"flying bishops" where female bishops would always have a male
counterpart.
Although Bishop Langstaff was fulsome in his praise of the ability of
the committee to come to a position so widely agreed upon (of the 15
steering committee members, 13 supported the motion while 2 abstained)
he was also quick to warn the Synod that this agreement was very
fragile.
"We do not have a plan B," was the phrase that emerged towards the end of his address.
This sentiment had already been expressed by the Right Reverend
Johnathan Baker, representing the previously objecting Anglo Catholic
block Forward in Faith. His group has expressed its support for the
proposals on the table, on the proviso that none of the measures that
have been put in place to meet their objections get significantly
watered down or weakened.
Bishop Langstaff did admit that aspects of the
proposals could be improved, but overall he encouraged the Synod to
avoid significant amounts of tinkering.
There is an air of confidence across the Synod that on this occasion
the goal that was stated in 2000 will be reached.
Specifically, as
Bishop Langstaff put it "to remove the bar to the ordination of women to
the episcopate in such a way that it is clear that the Church of
England is fully and unequivocally committed to all orders of ministry
being equally open to all without reference to gender – no ifs and
buts".