women, bishops and synod
Next month sees the proposals drawn up by the revision go back to Synod for its revision stage. The simplest way forward would be a single clause measure, which would enable us to have women in the Episcopate without any discrimination at all. But the revision committee has listened closely and carefully to all points of view, and compromises have been made in their proposals to attempt to hold differing views together.
It seems there is a broad consensus that the proposals are good, although there are also a few vocal and determined detractors. The debate is no doubt going to be intense at Synod this time round. But it must, surely, be time to move forward.
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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’m not sure how ordination is seen sacramentally in the CofE, which is shocking, as I’ve asked to be prepared to be received into it. But in the RC church, it’s seen as one sacrament with three degrees – therefore, without trying to be funny, I wonder if RC’s knew before Anglicans that once female deacons were ordained, female bishops were inevitable. (Something I’m totally in favour of, by the way!)
Well, Dougal, I think some of them did know that and some of them hoped it would go away… but institutions are never straightforward, are they?
Compromise is always difficult as the extremes on either side tend to be aggrieved but I don’t suppose Paul wanted “abstain from food sacrificed to idols, … from the meat of strangled animals” in the letter to the Gentiles following the Council at Jerusalem.