A campaign group working for female equality in the Church of England has said the institution risks further division unless it selects a Bishop of London who supports the ordination of women.
The Diocese of London is in the process of selecting a new diocesan bishop after its incumbent Dame Sarah Mullally became Archbishop of Canterbury.
It has issued a ‘Statement of Needs’ setting out what sort of bishop is required, but it doesn’t specify that the new bishop must be in favour of women’s ordination or recognise the spiritual authority of female bishops, including the new Archbishop of Canterbury.
Members of Women and the Church - known as WATCH – say they’re “concerned by this omission” and are supporting a petition opposing the appointment of a bishop who disagrees with women in the priesthood. WATCH said: “Such a bishop would be a sign of division rather than unity. We would not accept his authority.”
The group which wants a change in the Church’s rules, to ensure that no opponent of women’s ordination is ever again appointed as a diocesan bishop, said: “It is too glaringly contrary to episcopal order and Church unity, that a diocesan bishop can oversee clergy whose authority he denies.”
WATCH claims that over the past eight years, the Church’s Independent Reviewer has twice recommended that work needs to be done to assess the harm done to women and the Church by appointing diocesan bishops who do not fully support women’s ministry – either because they do not recognise them as priests or because they do not believe women can have authority over men. But it said this work has not been done.
There are currently over 150 churches in 32 of the 42 dioceses across the Church of England, which don’t accept the sacramental ministry of female priests or bishops.
These are served by a “Resolution Bishop” known as the Bishop of Ebbsfleet who provides episcopal and sacramental care when requested by the diocesan bishop.
Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson, the Bishop of Kensington, is currently serving as Acting Bishop of London.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of London said: "The Statement of Needs is clear that London is seeking, “someone who evidences a strong track record of advancing ordained women’s ministry and enabling its flourishing.
"The Committee agreed that as wide a field of candidates should be considered as possible for the appointment of our next Bishop. This was the same decision that London’s Vacancy in See Committee reached in 2017 - the process that led to the appointment of Sarah Mullally as Bishop of London."