Mitregate (2): “should I go or should I stay, now?”
All this week the Mitregate story has been buzzing round the press and the blogosphere.
But the story gets even stranger, for Ruth Gledhill now reveals (from behind her paywall) that other women bishops have previously ministered publicly at Southwark with their mitre. US Bishop Geralyn Wolfe preached (though did not celebrate) in November 2001, and a year later Bishop Ann, retired suffragan bishop of Toronto, presided and preached. Not only that, but here was Bishop Katharine herself at Salisbury Cathedral before the 2008 Lambeth Conference, complete with golden mitre:
Colin Slee, Dean of Southwark, is reported as saying, ‘I can say that female bishops have preached relatively recently in both Salisbury and Gloucester Dioceses and worn their mitres with the respective permission of the Diocesans,’ and concerning the two women bishops who processed with mitres at Southwark, he added: ‘I was not present on either occasion, it would seem to me that permission from Lambeth (presumably that was George Carey) was not sought, or Lambeth made no fuss. Our Diocesan was however present when Anne Tottenham was here.
‘It all goes to show what a silly boy I was to be properly courteous to the ABC and ask permission in the first place! But I can also say that my definition that an ‘Episcopal Act’ is consecrating, ordaining, confirming might have been a wiser course of action. AND I think the other hats in today’s Times are so much more fun.’
Damian Thompson also pointed out the idiocy of Anglican manners (although I get the impression he enjoyed just a little too much the opportunity to sneer):
…the mitre had to stay folded because Ms Schori is not recognised as a bishop by the Archbishop of Canterbury – yet. Wearing it on her head would break a rule imposed by +Rowan. But carrying it? Fine. And note the bishop’s shirt underneath her alb. (A quick footnote: until a few decades ago, some evangelical bishops would have their mitres carried in front of them rather than wear them – not because they doubted their episcopal orders, but because mitres as hats as opposed to symbols were popish.) However, Dean Slee (an old mate of mine who wants to see Anglicanism follow the logic of liberal Protestantism properly and quickly) does personally recognise Jefferts Schori as a bishop, even if he’s not ready to pick a fight with Lambeth over headgear. So, she’s a bishop in Southwark Cathedral, a simple priest in Lambeth Palace, and a lay person masquerading as a priest in Southwark’s Forward in Faith parishes. There may even be one or two churches which, adhering to the position taken by some Anglo-Catholics in the 1980s, recognise her as a deacon but not a priest. No one has yet denied that she’s a woman.
What commentary has emerged elsewhere? Kelvin Holdsworth (Provost of Glasgow’s St Marys Cathedral) wrote:
I suspect this is because the Church of Englandshire does not recognise that women can become bishops yet and so inhibit women who have been made bishops from acting as bishop or appearing as bishops when in England. It is a kind of small-mindedness that we don’t indulge in up here. Either Bishop Katharine is a bishop or she isn’t. If she is, she gets treated with respect as a bishop or she isn’t and we don’t have to bother about her at all. (It was the same years ago for Bishop Penny from New Zealand who was able to act as a bishop in Scotland even before we had made any decision about women and the Episcopatate but she could not do so in England).
I remember that +Gene Robinson was banned from wearing Episcopal regalia when in England two years ago for similar reasons. However, I could not remember whether he had worn one a titfer liturgically when he came here. It made me look back at the video of that service and I found that he did indeed wear a mitre. Seems to me that making headgear the cause of controversy is displacement activity.
My own mailbox this week has had a stream of comments from women who have just been, or are about to be, ordained as priests or deacons. They are disappointed and dismayed as everyone else who sees this whole charade as a massive PR blunder. But there is a personal element too. It swings straight back at them: with one hand the Church has welcomed their giving up of their time, their careers and their economic security in order to serve, while with the other hand, in the very month that they take their orders, it has smacked them down again. You can serve, the Church seems to say, but never dare to forget you are second class citizens.
At one level this whole affair has been a lot of nonsense – as the Presiding Bishop herself said, “It is bizarre; it is beyond bizarre“. But I don’t mind admitting that the onslaught of mockery from those outside the church and disappointment from inside has had me seriously considering hanging up my own cassock.
17 Responses to “Mitregate (2): “should I go or should I stay, now?””
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Maggi has kept a blog since September 2003, writing about theology and faith, the arts and literature, and a little about life and random nonsense...
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I have only one thing to say about that – don’t!
Indeed — don’t! Firstly, because the only way forward in this is for more women to be ordained and for more Anglicans to support them. Secondly because all jobs have their insanities and insults, different ones no doubt, but insults nonetheless.
It’s worth remembering – or hearing – that not all English Anglican bishops are ungracious. In 2004, at Christ Church in Oxford, Bishop Jane Holmes was invited to preach at a service celebrating 10 years since the first ordination of women as priests in England, in the presence of the Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries. I can’t remember who celebrated, nor how many mitres were worn, but I do remember that the final blessing was given by Bishop Jane. Over refreshements afterwards she made a point of saying what most of us didn’t realise – that for a diocesan bishop to ask another bishop to give the blessing in “his”cathedral was an act of great grace and generosity.
Sad – no, tragic – that fear of political backlash now seems to prevent one of our most naturally gracious archbishops from acting with the generosity and grace that is natural to him.
But of course this sort of fearful “correctness” was how women lawfully ordained abroad were treated in the years leading up to 1994 – even after the vote of 1992. Sad that nothing was learned from those years.
Maggi, don’t hang up your cassock. Stay and fight the good fight.
Please don’t Maggi – instead, think about attending http://www.bb at Sarum College. It is billed in their published prospectus as for “women who would be bishops”!
For all my female ordained, and about to be ordained, friends, I pray that history will one day wonder what all the fuss was about.
Well Maggi, we’d love to have you in North America, where male and female God created them, we baptize them, and ordain them, even to the office of Primate.
I echo Grandmere Mimi, Maggi. The C of E needs people like you now more than ever!
I can relate to you feeling that way. I come from an Engineering background and thought I had seen it all in terms of discrimination and subjugation of women. I hadn’t. Not by a long way. What is worse is that it seems everyone has permission (or even an obligation) to discriminate against me in case someone who doesn’t like my face objects to my orders. I can’t help feeling that if I worked for a company like this I would simply leave, and I feel very compromised.
It would be a great shame if you did hang up the cassock Maggi (I thought it was a Cossack that you where going to hang, which, and I trust you have empathy with me, alarmed me quite a bit). But I do think that some perspective is needed here. I might have my facts wrong though and am happy to be corrected. I thought the timeliness of this event has to do not with the dis-grace of the ABC (or ungracefulness if you like), but more with the fact that the Episcopal Church USA breached its agreement around the moratorium. So ABC has to now show that the agreement meant something in the first place. That is a gesture for those in the communion who read the bible in a stricter sense, particularly for those that are from outside the US. To ignore that is to somehow say that the opinions and grass roots practices of the church in Africa (which genuinely has a different culture, if you do want to put stock in culture), might really be “second class” (as much as we might not like the practices), to that of the US or UK, where we happen to have a different view of gender roles and Biblical interpretation. Some might have the gift of prophesy, perhaps event the call to correct the African church, but if they have not Love what good is that gift? What does it mean to love those with whom you disagree? Does the humble one need the mitre to show his humility, or authority? Does she?
I, too, would like simply to say “don’t” Maggi. But I see that there must come a point when you just tire of these things, and of the demeaning attitudes which lie behind them.
It would be immensely sad if you felt you had to take this step – but entirely understandable.
Lord, have mercy upon us!
As a priest (retired) in New Zealand, I well the remember the discomfiture of our own Bishop Penny (+Dunedin) when she attended her first (and only) Lambeth Conference. On her return, Bishop Penny reported the snide remarks and disdain with which some of her fellow (male) bishops regarded her presence among them. The only place she felt at home was in the Scottish Episcopal Church setting – where she was treated as an equal.
Maybe it has something to do with the Scottish temperament of hospitality. Bishop Penny was elected to the southern-most (Scottish) Diocese of the Church in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
I understand your feeling that way. In time, surely, it will change. But perhaps only if people like you don’t give up, Maggi.
Thank you for putting it so bluntly. As a lowly priest in the Melbourne Diocese (Anglican Church of Australia) I have tended to hide behind my parish boundaries for strength and encouragement to continue to ‘fight the good fight.’ Acceptance has never ever been a problem for me at a parish level – where I minister. A totally different story can be told from my colleagues and up. Sad, isn’t it? What are they afraid of? I, too, have felt the distinct desire to ‘hang up my cassock’ but have stayed – against my better judgment at times as it can be intensely personal – because I feel the battle is truly worth fighting for. Hang in there Maggi and don’t let the b*****s beat you!
Mitregate. What about Gardengate? Colin Slee is rapidly becoming the most unpopular man in Southwark with his own congregation. He appears to have a number of battles on his hands, not the least of which has brought him into direct conflict with his own community. He is threatening to demolish an old church (All Hallows on Copperfield Street in Borough SE1) to make way for a private flats’ development that is being opposed by hundreds of local people as it will take away their light and destroy their quality of life. The proposed development – which Colin Slee has publicly admitted will not see a return on investment for 25 years – is being built in the heart of a conservation area. He also appears intent on destroying the adjoining community garden and removing it from community management which it has been in for over 40 years. The fact that he refuses to guarantee continued public access in writing suggests he intends to close the garden off for private use. Colin Slee argues he is legally bound to maximise profits for the church even if that is at the expense of a community. But legal advice secured by campaigners trying to save All Hallows Church and Community Garden says the ‘legal obligations’ Slee describes are open to interpretation. This is the third time he has tried to develop the All Hallows’ site, three times trying to sneak it through without any community consultation. He has been beaten twice by the community who objected en masse to the planning applications. And he has stated publicly that if he doesn’t get planning permission third time around he will just keep on submitting planning applications. No-one has really been able to establish why Colin Slee is so determined to develop this site. More information on his community track record at http://www.saveallhallows.com
hang up your cassock if you want – but do NOT walk away from ordained ministry. The Church needs you.
I liked the comment “mitres as hats as opposed to symbols were popish.” … let’s get back to basics … we all know that it’s not what you wear – it’s the GRACE of God that you bring – and IMHO ministers are there to release the gifts in the ordinary people. Just do it …
don’t give up. please don’t.
Dickens said that the law was an ass (or something like that!) and sometimes the institutional church is even more of a one.