Placing the Mitre on Female Heads?

Dr Rowen Williams

Women Bishops

Canterbury to the Church of England, was urging the General Synod to resolve the issue over women bishops (36 years in the making).

The vote was taken on Friday in Parliament. It has initially been allowed - 123 in favour and 53 against (If the vote hadn't been passed it would have been shelved until 2015!).

When it comes to women in roles within the church, the men of god seem hell-bent on shooting themselves in the foot.


Anglicans (content with female priest) do not wish for them to pursue leadership positions.

While, in the past, the Anglo-Catholic's have gone as far as saying one may as well "ordain a pork-pie".

Speaking to the church's legislatory body, Rowen Williams said.

"...I, like most of you, long to see women bishops in the Church of England."

Even though he acknowledges that there were others "who continued to have theological reservations".

The descent in the church's ranks might produce the similar muddled get-out clauses that so often come when it tries to please everybody with its legislation. The understanding has been to legislate for full women bishops, but where there is parish objection to their roles, they are to step-aside and allow male bishops to take over. Thereby, avoiding a spit of the CofE. (It's this sort of muddled fudging that the liberal majority are used to seeing.)

However, their are concerns from senior women clergy (some prospective candidates for the roles of women bishops) who take offence at not merely been asked to step-aside but demanded by church law (due to clause 5(1)c).

Lay preacher Christina Rees

The high-flying crusader for women bishops, Christina Rees, objects to clause 5(1)c as it has "been rushed through". This discrimination of females and the further favouring of males over females bishops will cause fundamental problems if it is allowed to take place. as it is down-playing the roles of female bishops within the CofE.

Maybe Rowen William's words, when taking prior to the Friday vote about it, ring true.

"...it's important we look into the Abyss here."

But will the "Abyss" prove to be the gap between Liberal (left) and Conservatives (right) within the church, splitting their camps further?
However, with the measures being debated on Monday, only time will tell what women bishop’s full roles might be...

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"UPDATE 09/07/2012:

• "Church of England seen delaying women bishops" Reuters

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Tell me your views:- Do you agree with women in positions of power in the CofE?