Women Bishops

Some jottings for a session I ran yesterday on women bishops (a little of which is specific to the Diocese of Chichester or the Deanery of Dallington!):

INTRODUCTION

A controversial question we are unlikely to agree about!

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

THE BACKGROUND

The current position: why are we discussing this again now?

Women priests allowed since 1992 with parishes able to:

(a) Refuse the priestly ministry of women

(b) Refuse to have a female incumbent

(c) Ask for alternative episcopal oversight from a Bishop who has not ordained women priests

General Synod has so far approved draft legislation:

· opening the Church of England episcopate to women;

· rescinding the present arrangements whereby parishes may pass various resolutions or

petitions for “extended episcopal oversight”;

· requiring every diocesan bishop to provide a scheme for the delegation of certain

functions to a male bishop in certain circumstances, such schemes to be subject to a

code of practice drawn up by the House of Bishops.

Before it meets again in November, The General Synod is asking Diocesan Synods to vote on the question:

‘Does this synod approve the proposals embodied in the draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure and in draft Amending Canon No. 30?’

The Diocesan Synod will vote on this question on Saturday 8th October 2011.

If a majority of Diocesan Synods approve the draft legislation, it will return to the General Synod (probably in February 2012) for Final Drafting and further consideration. The Final Approval stage, at which two-thirds majorities are required in each House, could be reached in July 2012. If approved, the legislation will then go to Parliament for consideration by the Ecclesiastical Committee and each House.

Bishop John wants every Parish and Deanery in the Diocese to discuss the matter before it comes back to Diocesan Synod, and to vote on the following questions:

1. Are you in favour of ordaining women to the episcopate in the Church of England?

2. Do you think that provision should be made for those who cannot on theological grounds accept this development?

3. Do you think that the provisions in the draft measure are appropriate for this purpose?

Diocesan Synods can also pass “following motions” to express concerns about aspects of the legislation.

PCCs are being asked to vote on the four questions above, and also to consider whether they wish to put forward a following motion to be considered by Deanery Synod, and then by the Diocesan synod – and to do this by the end of June.

Deanery Synod will vote on the issues on 19th July 2011.

It is entirely up to Synod members (not their PCCs) how they vote on these questions.

THE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

My answers to these questions:

1. Are you in favour of ordaining women to the episcopate in the Church of England?

No

Men & women: equal but different

Same value, dignity, status, worth etc.; different roles, offices, functions

Not questioning the ability of women!

Male headship in the home / family (Colossians 3:18; Ephesians 5:22-24)

The church is the household / family of God – a similar pattern applies

Male headship in the church (1 Corinthians 14:33-38; 1 Timothy 2:11-14)

Paul does not appeal to something cultural or temporary

Headship and submission does not necessarily imply inferiority since Christ submits to the Father as his head and both are equally God (1 Corinthians 11:3)

The authority of Scripture

Jesus and the Apostles were all men.

Although Jesus was not afraid to oppose wrong traditions or be counter-cultural, he upheld this traditional biblical approach to male leadership

From the earliest times, only men were ordained presbyter or priest (elder)

The Roman Catholic, Orthodox and many Evangelical churches do not allow women “priests” so to go ahead without wider ecumenical agreement is harmful to church unity

Bishops serve as a focus for unity and it would be hard to see how women bishops could be anything other than divisive

2. Do you think that provision should be made for those who cannot on theological grounds accept this development?

Yes.

This was promised when women priests were first introduced. It was explained in Parliament that ‘protection for incumbents and in particular parishes, should remain in perpetuity for as long as anyone wanted it.’ The then Archbishop of Canterbury said ‘it is our intention for this to be permanent and we are not thinking of rescinding it.’ A House of Bishops’ paper stated that ‘those who for a variety of reasons cannot conscientiously accept that women may be ordained as priests will continue to hold a legitimate and recognised place within the Church of England’. The 1998 Lambeth Conference passed a resolution calling on all Provinces to ‘affirm that those who dissent from, as well as those who assent to, the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate are both loyal Anglicans’. At its meeting in May 2010 the House of Bishops confirmed that “…there remains a strong commitment on the part of the House to preserve an honoured place within the Church of England for those unable to receive this development.”

3. Do you think that the provisions in the draft measure are appropriate for this purpose?

No.

The legislation suggests special arrangements within the existing structures and a national statutory code of practice to which all must have regard and powers delegated from female diocesan bishops complimentary male bishops.

This would make it very difficult for those who cannot accept the leadership and authority of a female bishop.

Would the Apostle Paul be acceptable for ordination in the Church of England and would he be willing to be ordained in such a church?

‘Does this synod approve the proposals embodied in the draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure and in draft Amending Canon No. 30?’

No.

A proposed “following motion” from The Church of England Evangelical Council (supported by Forward in Faith and Church Society and others):

“This Synod [or PCC],

1. desires that all faithful Anglicans remain and thrive together in the Church of England and therefore

2. calls upon the House of Bishops to bring forward amendments to the draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure to ensure that those unable on theological grounds to accept the ministry of women bishops are able to receive oversight from a bishop with authority (i.e. ordinary jurisdiction) conferred by the Measure rather than by delegation from a Diocesan Bishop.”

FURTHER RESOURCES

www.diochi.org.uk/draftlegislation

“The Rochester Report” Women Bishops in the Church of England? GS 1557 Nov 2004 287pages (available at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/papers/womenbishops.pdf ). Related study material for groups is also available at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/papers/womenbishops/wb.doc

http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/ministry/wombishop/iss_ministry_wombishop_intro.asp

http://reform.org.uk/