Women bishops

[Gob]

The Church of England ended at a stroke the male domination of its hierarchy as the General Synod voted on Monday to allow women to be ordained as bishops for the first time.

Applause in the public gallery at the meeting in York greeted the overwhelming vote in favour of the measure. With a two-to-one vote for the move needed, 152 lay members of the synod were in favour and 45 against. Majorities among bishops and clergy were even greater.

The historic decision came amid threats of parliamentary intervention, and with the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, having prepared contingency plans to dissolve the synod and call fresh elections if the vote had gone the other way. Welby said after the debate that he was "absolutely delighted by the result; grateful to God and to answered prayers", and that he expected the appointment of a female bishop "to happen as rapidly as possible".

A crisis was averted by a change of mind, and vote, among lay members. A previous attempt in 2012 failed when 74 lay members voted against, preventing the attainment of the majority among the laity that was needed. The church voted in 1992 to ordain female priests but has spent the last two decades resisting the next step.

But it took a closing speech of astonishing force and passion by a blind evangelical Christian, who became a managing director of Lloyds bank after he had lost his sight, to win over the last waverers. Speaking to the key evangelical community opposed to the measure, John Spence told them: "Your faith is my faith, is all of our faith, and every one of us has a vital role to ensure that the searing vision of the risen Christ is taken out into this country. Trust not misplaced. You like me will come to see … I am confident that we can walk hand in hand, and return the risen Christ to his rightful place at the centre of this country, its conscience and its culture."

The vote means that the first woman might become a suffragan (assistant) bishop in the spring next year, and her appointment could be announced before the new year. But because the legislative process will not be complete before the synod next meets, in November, it will not be legal to place women on the shortlist for consideration as a diocesan bishop before then.

This means that the earliest a woman might take her place in the synod's house of bishops is next summer.

[Guinevere]

It's amazing how shaming can work sometimes.

Welcome to the 20th Century, C of E. Time to catch up with your cousins across the pond.

[Joe Guy]

Shouldn't they be called bishopettes?

[MajGenl.Meade]

You're just taking the episcopal

[BoSoxGal]

We (Episcopalians) can welcome them to the 21st century when they vote to ordain gay bishops.

[Gob]

No bashing the bishops please.

[rubato]

What Guin said.

But they are only 30 years behind the times on this. Not bad for religion.


yrs,
rubato

[Big RR]

No bashing the bishops please.

I always thought it was polishing the bishop.

[Econoline]

But they are only 30 years behind the times on this. Not bad for religion.

Considering that it took the Catholic church almost 400 years to apologize to Galileo...yeah, you've got a good point!

[Big RR]

And have they ever apologized to Copernicus? Not to mention those accused of being heretics by the Inquisition (the one no one expects)? Apologies are just slow.

[rubato]

But they are only 30 years behind the times on this. Not bad for religion.

Considering that it took the Catholic church almost 400 years to apologize to Galileo...yeah, you've got a good point!

They didn't actually admit fault or apologize. They said "mistakes were made but not by us". The weaselling is more true to their usual form.


Yrs,
Rubato

[Lord Jim]

And yet, even The Catholic Church has a better record for admitting mistakes than rube does...

[Crackpot]

In all fiat was rube hasn't been around for 400 years. It is theroretically possible that 350 years from now rube will unburden his soul of his errors.

[Gob]

In all fiat was rube hasn't been around for 400 years. .

It just seems like it.....

[Crackpot]

Autocorrect is killing me

[rubato]

350 years later on, a host of other errors just as great, and the RC church still cannot admit that empirical science is a better method of determining the truth than their dogmatism is.


And who follows this kind of chronic incurable stupidity?


yrs,
rubato

[Daisy]

Rubato, some might accuse you of Jim baiting there.

[rubato]

Rubato, some might accuse you of Jim baiting there.

And some would convict you of selective attention.



yrs,
rubato

[Lord Jim]

Rubato, some might accuse you of Jim baiting there.

[Daisy]

Rubato, some might accuse you of Jim baiting there.

And some would convict you of selective attention.



yrs,
rubato

Didn't say you were, just that it might be interpreted as such by some.