Affirming Catholicism has issued this response to the proposals of the Report on Women Bishops published on Saturday.
PRESS RELEASE
10/05/10
Affirming Catholicism welcomes the Report of the Women Bishops Revision Committee which was published on Saturday 8th May 2010 (see http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr4210.html). Our gratitude and thanks are due to all those who served on the Revision and Steering Committees which have enabled the Church to come to this point. Now is the time to move forward, in line with the proposals, so that women can take their full place within the Church of England’s ministry.
As the Report says, the legislation proposed “will, for the first time, enable women to be admitted to all orders of ministry. By preserving intact the authority of the diocesan bishop it will avoid any changes in the historic understanding of that office and of the episcopate more generally. And by making statutory arrangements for those with theological difficulties it will endeavour to preserve that broad and comprehensive character of the Church of England that is one of its defining and most attractive features.” (para. 459)
The Chair of Affirming Catholicism, Rev’d Jonathan Clark, said, “The Report bears witness to the careful exploration of the many and complex issues surrounding this legislation, and to the desire of all the members of the Church to retain the highest possible degree of unity. We recognise with sadness that many traditionalist Catholics do not believe that the provision for those who disagree is adequate to their needs. For those many Catholics in the Church of England who affirm the ordained ministry of women, though, this is good news – and we encourage the General Synod to move forward in working with these proposals.”
Affirming Catholicism has always stated its desire both to see women admitted to the episcopate, and also to include within the Church those who oppose that decision. We continue to affirm that the Church cannot remain as one body if it is divided into two parts, one of which does not recognise the ministry of the other. We are encouraged that the proposed legislation preserves the Church’s integrity, and thus serves its mission.
Hats off to Affirming Catholicism! They are to be commended for their courage and integrity. They are on the road to the future. The problem with the Catholic Church on the issues of women’s ordinations to priesthood and episcopate is that they have been stuck in Trent for too many centuries. This has rendered the majority of the hierarchy dysfunctional. They are unable to provide even one sound theological argument as to why women should not be admitted to the priesthood and episcopate. It is one of the many reasons why the Latin Rite Church is imploding. I have seen… Read more »
To be clear Affirming Catholicism is an Anglican organization. Here is a a quote from their website http://www.affirmingcatholicism.org.uk/ “We are a movement of inspiration and hope in the Anglican Communion, seeking to bring together and strengthen lay and ordained people who recognise the positive, inclusive and joyful currents in the Catholic tradition of Christianity. We are working to make the Catholic element within Anglicanism a positive force for the Gospel and a model for effective mission today. As reformed and reforming Catholics, we seek to renew the universal Church by including those with different perspectives and bearing witness in the… Read more »
“We recognise with sadness that many traditionalist Catholics do not believe that the provision for those who disagree is adequate to their needs. For those many Catholics in the Church of England who affirm the ordained ministry of women, though, this is good news – and we encourage the General Synod to move forward in working with these proposals.” – Jonathan Clark, Affirming Catholics – Well said, Jonathan! However, much as the ‘denying catholics’ (denying, that is, the place of women in the ministry of the Church) are encouraged, in the proposed legislation to ordain women bishops, to ‘live with’… Read more »