New-found agreement over women’s appointment as bishops

Nigel Williams, 21 November 2013

In November 2012 it looked impossible. Only a small minority in the General Synod’s House of Laity was required to block the proposals, but just enough votes were found. Needing 69 votes, they found 74. Usual procedures suggested that the issue would rest there until after the next set of church elections.

Yesterday, a new vote was taken. This time, the consensus was so general that there was no need for separate counting of votes. There were no debates about amending the wording. 375 people votes in favour, 8 against and 25 abstained. The law has not changed yet. There is a further stage of revision in February 2014, but that will be without a preliminary committee stage. Final approval would follow at a later session, probably July or November. Blocking is still possible but if opponents wished to do that they could as easily have acted yesterday. Some things have not changed. It is still the case that the overwhelming majority of the Church of England is comfortable with the concept of women serving as priests and bishops. Still approximately two thirds of the active membership are women. There remain many faithful congregations whose understanding of a priest’s role requires a man to perform it. Since bishops practise over a geographically larger area, it is harder for those congregations to guarantee an alternative. The difference yesterday was that most of their representatives were prepared to trust the assurances given and there was almost no talk from the other side that they were being offered too many concessions. It looks like an agreement prepared by each side asking carefully what truly mattered to the other.

Five principles have now been generally agreed. This is a summary of paragraph 12:

• Church offices are to be open to all. There will be no differences in rank based on gender.
• All the Church of England’s ministers are expected to acknowledge the Church’s decision.
• The Church of England is not attempting to dictate to other historic Churches how they should ordain their ministers.
• Christians theologically unable to recognise women’s ordained ministry will still be regarded as within the Anglican tradition.
• Provision will be made for that minority, without a time limit and in the interests of mutual flourishing.

In practice, an ombudsman will watch out for the minority to ensure that they can continue to receive sacraments from men.
It is hardly breaking new ground. The Episcopal Church in America has long had a female Primate. Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori has been presiding bishop since 2006.  The Church of Ireland has elected Revd Pat Storey as Bishop of Meath and Kildare. She will be consecrated on 30th November. There was a bolt of lightning over Westminster yesterday morning just before the vote but no-one present took it as a sign of divine displeasure.