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Church risks split as Synod votes to back women bishops
Ellen Widdup, Evening Standard08.07.08
The Church of England has been thrown into turmoil today after its ruling body threw out compromise measures surrounding women bishops.
Members of the General Synod voted to press ahead with the ordination of women bishops without the safeguards demanded by traditionalists.
This could prompt a mass exodus of clergy who threatened a schism if nothing was done to cater for objectors.
At the meeting of the synod, members engaged in a bitter six-hour debate on the issue, finally voting against plans for "super bishops" to oversee femaleled parishes and the introduction of new male-led dioceses to accommodate those against change.
Instead they agreed to approve work on a national statutory code of practice to give guidelines to bishops and priests of both sex - details of which are yet to be formalised.
Following the vote, one bishop sobbed as he spoke of being "ashamed" of the Church of England for failing to protect itself from division.
He said all the amendments put forward by traditionalists, which could have provided them with a variety of opt-out clauses, had been struck down.
The Rt Rev Stephen Venner, Bishop of Dover, who is in favour of women bishops but believes there should be compromises made to keep traditionalists happy and prevent a split, said: "For the first time in my life, I feel ashamed.
"We have turned down every realistic opportunity for those who are opposed to flourish. And we still talk the talk of being inclusive and generous."
The synod said it had voted against having separate structures and "super bishops" because they amounted to institutionalised discrimination.
Reader views (4)
They've had men dressed in frocks with big hats for long enough; time for the women to be given the same chances.
- Mikko Takala, Drumnadrochit, Scotland
The only reason for opposing the move seems to be 'because it hasn't been done before'. Interesting that the traditionalists cant come up with one any argument for not allowing women Bishops that is either Logical or in some way shows that not allowing women corresponds with the teachings of Christianity.
- Aash, London
One good thing to come of this is that honest Christians who are still clinging to Anglicanism are more likely to see this denomination for the liberalist pseudo-Christian façade that it really is.
Lesson in spirituality number one: One can never undermine absolute Truth and absolute principle. The long-term, and occasionally short-term, outcome for anyone attempting to do so is invariably very poor. (And yes, you can take that as a considerable euphemism.)
- John K, Coventry, UK
"Like a mighty tortoise moves the Church of God"
How extraordinary that, in an entity like the Anglican Church, there seem to be plenty of people who are incapable of feeling that nagging suspicion that somehow they may have quite innocently put themselves in impossible positions. If you feel something with such blinding certainty the odds are that you are almost certainly wrong.
The horse has bolted. Quick! Slam the door!
A few years ago Anglicans agreed among themselves that there was no reason to ban women from being ordained. Women are now ordained: the question of whether or not they may become bishops is little more than a matter of where they may be allowed to stand on the promotion ladder. Once in the army are they to be allowed (on merit) to put stripes on their sleeves and supervise men?
Whatever may have been the received socio-ethnic practice in the Near East of twenty centuries past, women priests have injected a new vigour into the Anglican church. It is no longer a boys' club with women allowed in to do the washing up.
It would be well to reflect that the Gospels claim that the first witness to the risen Jesus was a woman. Or, perhaps, they got it wrong?
- Xenophon, Leeds UK
