Five more diocesan synods voted on the Women in the Episcopate legislation today: Bristol, Hereford, Lincoln, Norwich, Portsmouth.
So far I have heard that four (Bristol, Hereford, Lincoln and Portsmouth) have voted in favour by large majorities (in Hereford’s case unanimously), making a total of 24 in favour and none against.
All five voted in favour, making a total of 25 in favour and none against.
So a majority of the 44 diocesan synods have now voted in favour, and the legislation will definitely return to General Synod for final approval in July.
The next votes are in Blackburn (3 April), Southwell & Nottingham (5 April) and Worcester (30 April).
Detailed voting figures for all dioceses are here.
Two very gracious speeches at lincoln from an fif priest and a female colleague in the same deanery. Hope this carries over into General Synod.
Hereford – Bishop yes, clergy 35-0, no abstentions, laity 33-0, 1 abstention.
Comparing these figures with the 2012 figures is interesting. Some of the dioceses that did not approve (London and Chichester) or that did not get a 2/3 majority in the 2012 votes have not yet voted. In those in that category that have voted so far the change is marked: e.g. Winchester Clergy up to 88% from 52%, Laity up to 92% from 62% Sheffield Clergy up to 75% from 52% and Laity 78% from 59% Bradford laity up to 100% from 65% and so on. Of course it isn’t over until the fat lady sings (or rather the GS… Read more »
Pontefract Contra Mundum
Pontefract contra Madame? I wonder how they think about the reality of Her Majesty’s role as the Defender of the Faith? H.M. also signed up to the Equal Marriage Legislation. Good for Her.
Fr. David, You do know, I hope, that many of us who believe in women as bishops and priests arrive there not in a spirit of accommodation to the world or society, but rather in a confirmed belief that this is what the Spirit is saying to the Churches? And we too have scripture on our side–Galatians 3:28. As someone who is an Anglo-Catholic who holds a high Christology and believes the creeds, you and I would probably agree on a lot of theological issues. But I really must deplore your assumption that your view is the only one that… Read more »
Thank you, John Wirenius, for noting that those of us who are for inclusion are for it because of our reading of Scripture and understanding of the Risen Christ. It is most unfortunate that many conservatives insist that their view is the only one consistent with Scripture. It is fundamentally dishonest as well as rude. The gay men in the UK are driving me nuts the way some cherry pick Scripture to support their inclusion, while cherry picking it further to support the exclusion of women. Our altar party today was diverse, gay-straight (leaning gay), male-female (leaning male, which is… Read more »
How can citing one verse from an author who explicitly forbade the leadership of women “in all the churches of the saints” constitute scripture being on your side?
It is perfectly clear that St. Paul in Galatians chapter 3, verse 28 is referring to baptism and has nothing whatsoever to do with the issue of the consecration of women to the episcopate, which according to any serious study of scripture must return the answer of no or not proven.
Barrie and Fr. David, 1 Tim. 2:12 is not given as a divine command, but is quite literally Paul “speaking in the I”: “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to vsurpe authoritie ouer the man, but to be in silence.” 1 Cor. 14 supports your interpretation, but again is about a practice–it is fully in accord with the lowly status of women in Greek culture (see, e.g., Plato’s Symposium), and with Jewish mores of the time. Kirster Stendahl has explored the “breakthrough” moments in St.Paul’s writings, when he transcends the cultural limitations of time and place, specifically… Read more »
If this innovation really were of the Spirit, then would not God in His infinite wisdom have imparted this “disclosure experience” to the great Churches of East and West?
Fr. David, As the late George MacDonald Fraser wrote (in a different context), “by that logic, Ur of the Chaldees would be a damned crowded place by now.” After all, the Reformation has yet to be accepted by those churches, and this is an Anglican blog, so I think your objection proves too much. More to the point, I have no expectation of persuading you on the merits; I could retort that the resistance of established authority to the Spirit recurs throughout history, in both the Old and New Testaments, but my point here is actually far more modest: I… Read more »
Dear John, I do not for one moment doubt your sincerity. This is indeed an Anglican blog and look what a mess these recent innovations have landed the Anglican Communion in when we depart from the long and ancient traditions of the Church. I’ve never known a period of such disunity within our Communion. That is why we need a wider ecumenical vision and take seriously to heart what our older and greater sister Churches of East and West consider what the Spirit is saying to the Church Universal.
Dear Father David, Thank you for that; I misinterpreted your comment as dismissive and apologize. On the merits, I hold to my position, while understanding yours better than I did. Yes, this is a terrible period for the Communion, in part because we are seeing the divisions that have long been papered over, and in part because of massive shifts in church-going and believing in what used to be called the First World. I agree with you that we need greater ecumenism, though not at the cost of those advances (as I see them) that will help build a more… Read more »
“I’ve never known a period of such disunity within our Communion.”
The unity to which you were accustomed, and which you seem to prefer, was achieved at great cost to others.
Is being unified in bigotry really a virtue?
“I’ve never known a period of such disunity within our Communion.” And obviously, continuing old injustices is just the right way to promote unity… But not injustice against gay men, just the injustices against women. If you are going to use the Scripture passages against women, rather than the example of Jesus, how do get around Leviticus and gay men? We learned in the 20th Century that no one is free while any of our brothers and sisters are not. That’s true of race, gender, and sexual orientation. We are not going to arrive at the Promised Land simultaneously. That… Read more »
Thank you John for your warm and generous comments. I certainly think that Francis is the most Christ-like pope we have had in decades. As such we must take seriously to heart the teaching of this most holy man who is indeed a great gift of the Lord to the Church Universal.
“If this innovation really were of the Spirit, then would not God in His infinite wisdom have imparted this “disclosure experience” to the great Churches of East and West?” – Fr. David, on Monday – Do you not think it possible dear Father, that both may have heard the call of the Spirit, but that each might be waiting for the ‘other’ to move first. They wouldn’t want to get this wrong now, would they? Whereas we, in the Anglican Communion, being more schooled in semper reformanda, may have no such qualms. However, like you, I too have a great… Read more »
Father David wrote: “If this innovation really were of the Spirit, then would not God in His infinite wisdom have imparted this ‘disclosure experience’ to the great Churches of East and West?” I must ask: How do you know that God hasn’t? I suspect He has (though certainly can’t claim to know for certainty), but they’ve opted to ignore Him. In any event, I’m quite confident that God, indeed “in His infinite wisdom,” has chosen to disclose the Truth to various heirs of the great 16th century Reformation, including the Church of England. Unless I am mistaken, Father, when you… Read more »