Ordaining Women as Bishops
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You will all be aware that there is considerable discussion and considerable disagreement over the question of ordaining women as bishops. For some this is a logically and pastorally necessary next step from ordaining women to the priesthood. For others, it is beyond the bounds of acceptability because it means that it will, in the future, be impossible to know whether a priest is a validly ordained priest. For people who do not accept the ordained status of women priests, the issue is manageable at present. This is because women priests are identifiable as women and men priests are identifiable as men. So for those who do not accept women priests, You can tell whether a priest is validly ordained or not by their gender. But once women become bishops and start ordaining men (and women) as priests, it will not be possible to distinguish between a validly ordained priest (a man ordained by a male bishop) and a non validly ordained priest (ordained by a women bishop). There are of course, many other positions between these two rather extreme positions.
Our own Bishop has written two pastoral letters on the topic.
You can find the first letter here and the second here.
So divisive has this issue been that some bishops and retired bishops have felt it necessary to leave the Church of England and enter the Roman Catholic Church under the terms of what is called a new ordinariate within the Roman Catholic Church.
For my own part, I treasure the twin inheritances of our Anglican way of being part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. I treasure the continuity of our faith as defined in the creeds and by the first four councils of the Church. I treasure too the commitment of our Anglican tradition to the continual reform of the Church, reform necessary to keep the Church faithful to Our Lord’s presence and to be able to proclaim the gospel afresh for every generation and in every language. That is what the great reformers brought to our tradition.
As a former Roman Catholic, now at home in the Church of England, I have an understandable appreciation that sometimes people feel it necessary to change their denominational allegiance whilst remaining faithful Christians. I am also deeply committed to the intrinsic inclusiveness of the Church. It is there for all those whom has created, that is to say, every human being of every age, gender, ethnicity, background or any other division. I wholeheartedly recognise the validity of women priests and will have no difficulty or hesitation in recognising women bishops should they be consecrated. I welcome women in our parishes in all ministries including priests, readers, Eucharistic ministers or any other form of ministry.
I am always available for discussion and also willing to provide appropriate facilities for learning and discussion on these difficult topics. Above all else, I pray that these matters be resolved with theological clarity underpinned by love and respect for each other, without which no theology is worth having.
With every blessing and good wish
John
Revd Dr John Strain
Updated Tuesday 11 October 2011
"The following guidance has been received from our Rural Dean. Each of the Parochial Church Councils may debate this matters themselves or they may, if they prefer, ask the Benefice Council to consider the matter on their behalf. If a PCC wishes to debate the matter it will be helpful to identify the date of the meeting in May or early June when the topic will be discussed.”
The Ordination of Women to the Episcopate
The programme for decision
The General Synod will come to a decision on this matter at its meeting in July 2012.
Prior to that every Diocesan Synod will vote on the issue.
Our Diocesan Synod will vote at a special meeting on October 8th 2011
Our Diocesan Bishop and his Bishop's Council are to invite deanery synods and PCCs to debate the issue before the Diocesan Synod makes its decision.
An integral part of what has to be considered will be the 'Code of Practice' indicating arrangements to offer protection to clergy and lay people who for theological reasons cannot accept the ministry of women priests and bishops. The details of this 'Code of Practice, will not be available until May next year.
So, the programme before us looks like this:
- May 2011: Publication of the 'Code of Practice'.
- May – early June 2011: PCCs meet to discuss the ordination of women to the episcopate.
- June 15th 2011: Westbourne Synod meets to discuss this issue.
- September 2011: Chichester Diocesan Synod meets to discuss and vote.
The voting
The General Synod is to pass down to the Dioceses motions to be debated and voted on which cannot be amended in any way.
Our Bishop's Council are recommending that deanery synods and PCCs should have a prior discussion and informal vote on the following preliminary questions, before voting on the motions handed down from the General Synod:
- Are you in favour of ordaining women to the episcopate in the Church of England?
- Do you think that provision should be made for those who cannot on theological grounds accept this development?
- Do you think that the provisions in the draft Measure are appropriate for this purpose?
A Study Guide.
Parishes may find it helpful to make use of a Study Guide to the Rochester Report on Women in the Episcopate. This can be found on the Diocesan Website at the following link:
http://www.diochi.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=resources.content&cmid=195
Finally, we expect that deanery synods and parishes will receive a formal notification of this process from the Diocesan Bishop.