York Guides

(Yorkshire Post)

A major four-hour debate at the the church's parliament, the General Synod, meeting in York showed itself to be strongly in favour of the idea of women bishops.
Bishops voted for the move by 41 to six. The lifting of the barriers was backed by the clergy by 167 to 46 and by the laity by 159 to 75.
The bishops' strong support suggests that they paid little regard to 17 of their fellow bishops – among them the bishops of Pontefract, Whitby and Beverley – who pleaded in an open letter last week for the decision to be delayed so that the issue could be further discussed by the church at all levels.
But fears still remain that the possible appearance of women bishops – maybe within seven years – would mean the church being torn in two.
Calls for the rejection of any delay in lifting the legal impediments were spearheaded by Bishop of Southwark Tom Butler, who said that since 1994 the church had ordained nearly 2,000 women as priests.
In an attempt to woo those opposed to women bishops – largely Anglo-Catholics – Bishop Butler said: "It is clear that some would have great difficulty were women to be ordained bishops.
"But it is in their interest, too, that the church's mind is tested. The matter was thoroughly debated at the 1988 Lambeth Conference (of worldwide Anglican bishops) and currently 14 of the 38 provinces of the Anglican communion have legislated for women bishops.
"Women bishops have been openly in the ministry in the Anglican communion for 17 years. In no way can it be claimed that in seeking at this time to test the mind of the Church of England we act hastily or precipitately."
Opposition to the lifting of the barriers was led by Bishop of Chichester John Hind, who told a crowded Synod: "The Church of England has not yet had the theological debate. It has not agreed the principle of women bishops."
There were weighty agreements on both sides, said Bishop Hind.
He added: "There continues to be serious disagreement in the church. What matters is not only whether it is right to have women bishops but what it means to be a church, what is the place of bishops in it and what to do when we disagree?"
Bishop Hind said the church should stay where it was – where the majority of the churches were, including the Roman Catholic Church, "until it is shown from scripture and tradition that we are on the wrong path."
Bishop Hind drew some cries of "Hear, hear" when he added: "It would be a sad day if our church were to decide that carefully stated conscientious disagreements were no long permitted."
Canterbury woman priest Karen Gorham caused laughter when she declared "You can't keep a good woman down. And Godly women are going to continue to pop up everywhere."
But another bishop calling for the deferment, Bishop in Europe Geoffrey Rowell, said "Without deep reflection we are in danger of dividing the Church of England and we can't afford the easy luxury of division."
Archbishops of Canterbury Rowan Williams in a brief intervention, plainly fearing schism, suggested it might be helpful to have a series of non-debating seminars "to think through and appraise these matters".