Women Bishops

Vicar's letter
This month General Synod meet in London and one major item on their agenda is the question of Women Bishops. There seem to me to be three main groups in the Church of England. Those totally opposed to women priests and bishops, those totally in favour with little patience for those opposed and those who accept the two integrities, as general synod has expressed the matter, for which some satisfactory arrangements have to be made.  At the meeting some will want any question of women bishops to be defeated; others want to legislate for women bishops to be appointed as soon as possible requiring the whole church to accept them.

I am more interested in the question of how to respect and include within the Church of England both those we accept the ministry of women priests and those who do not. I do not think that the question of women bishops adds any theological issues to those of women priests; the difficult questions are practical not theological. 

The two integrities, accepted by General Synod as the present policy of  the Church of England, declares that those accepting the ministry of women priests and those not accepting such ministry are to be equally respected and provided for. And so just as between and within parishes there is presently some provision for ministry by male priests for those unable to accept the ministry of women priests, so, it seems to me, that there ought to be provision for those unable to accept the ministry of women bishops. In practice this could be relatively easy. At every ordination of priests I have ever been to several bishops have been present; so for the next 30 years at least it is easy to arrange that a male bishop lays hands on all priests so there should be no question about ‘defective’ orders for anyone within the Church of England. Dioceses ought to arrange their confirmations and institutions so at appropriate times and places a male bishop presides.

We need to accept that the ordination of women priests has set back very considerably ecumenical relations with the official sections of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches; women bishops will be an extra element in an already unfortunate situation. If it is the right thing to do, consequences have to be accepted. 

I appreciate that there are those unhappy with the two integrities; they wish all members of the Church of England to accept the ministry of women priests and bishops. I myself have welcomed the ministry of women priests and look forward to welcoming the ministry of women bishops. At the same time I have great respect for those who are unable to accept the ministry of women priests or bishops; this was the position of the Church of England for over 1800 years; this is what was taught in the great majority of parishes until 30 years ago; this is the present teaching of those Christian Churches having the overwhelming majority of Christians in the world today. I believe adequate and preferably simple provision should be made within the Church of England without dividing parishes into one camp or the other.

I fear that the essentially practical discussion within General Synod will be made more acrimonious both by those wanting all members of the Church of England to accept women bishops and by those wanting what seems to me, over elaborate conditions to prevent what they see as ‘contamination’.

I have tried to set out my present understandings of these matters; I expect many will see matters in a different light. I hope General Synod this month will, relatively easily and with wisdom and great respect for the diversity of opinions within the Church of England today, steer a good course towards accommodating within our church both those accepting the ministry of women bishops and those who cannot accept such ministry.

May God guide the whole church as we pray and seek his guidance on these difficult matters which can so easily consume so much time and energy that we fail to love God and our neighbour adequately.

Christopher Morgan - Jones    

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