Thinking Anglicans

Women bishops: Fulcrum issues a statement

Fulcrum has issued this: Fulcrum Statement on Women Bishops (ahead of the vote at the November, 2012 General Synod)

Fulcrum fully supports women bishops and hopes that the Measure passes through the General Synod in November. We believe that this is the view of most evangelicals in the Church of England. We agree with CEEC that all members of General Synod must prayerfully consider the good of the whole church and vote with a clear conscience. We hope that all those who want women bishops will vote for the Measure. We further hope that those who are against will be able in good conscience to abstain, recognising that it is clearly the will of the Church to proceed, and then work with the provision, which is unlikely to be strengthened should the legislation fall this time.

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Philip Hobday
Philip Hobday
11 years ago

I’m neither a lawyer nor a General Synod member, but I’d be very interested to hear from someone who did know what the legal implications of the word “respect” are. For instance, “have regard to” carries a specific legal meaning, doesn’t it? , – something like you must demonstrate you have taken something into account when making a decision and that there is a certain burden on you to show that. But what does “respect” mean in the context of legislation generally and this proposed legislation in particular?

Father Ron Smith
11 years ago

I commend this encouragement given by ‘Fulcrum’ for G.S. members to vote ‘for’ the Draft Motion if they feel that this is the way forward for the Church of England. This would at least allow Women to take their rightful place within the leadership of the Church of England. However, to expect hard-line dissenters to not vote ‘against’ the Motion might seem – to them – to open up the possibility of the Motion being passed. I’ll bet ‘Reform’ – who don’t really want any reform on this issue – won’t be pleased. One prays that the Holy Spirit will… Read more »

Benedict
Benedict
11 years ago

Hear hear, Father Smith, even if that means that the legislation falls!

RosalindR
RosalindR
11 years ago

re Philip’s question, which has been asked by several people in the last few weeks. I think the the ABC’s piece in the Church Times indicates the sort of meaning it will carry.

Bouverie
Bouverie
11 years ago

Father Ron,

Might I ask whether if the vote rejects the legislation you will see in that the Holy Spirit hovering over the General Synod and bringing about God’s will for the Church of England? Or will you press for another vote?

Jean Mayland
Jean Mayland
11 years ago

I thank Fulcrum for their support.I hope and pray that the Measure will pass this time but if not then those of us who long for women Bishops and have struggled so long will just have to pick ourseves up and carry on with the struggle. I am convinced that the Holy Spirit is with us

Father Ron Smith
11 years ago

In response to both Benedict and Bouverie here: I believe that, as Jesus directed his followers in the Lord’s Prayer, we are duty bound to pray that ‘God’s will be done – in earth (in me) as it is in heaven”. There is no other way! This is always my ultimate prayer. What I also need to do is to listen to my own conscience on issues that are important to both the Church and the World, so that I may conscientiously follow the path in which I feel the Holy Spirit is leading me. In the end, however, I… Read more »

Benedict
Benedict
11 years ago

“I am convinced that the Holy Spirit is with us” – jean Mayland. This is a comment which is staggering in the level of arrogance it displays. So is the Holy Spirit not with millions of Catholic and Orthodox Christians throughout the world who believe otherwise? Such presumptive statements need to be checked!

Erika Baker
Erika Baker
11 years ago

Benedict, it does not help to call someone you disagree with staggeringly arrogant. We can all play that game. For many of us it is just as … shall we say astonishing?… that people believe the Holy Spirit only speaks to a small handful of people who then have the power to impose their interpretation on anyone else. Do believe it, by all means! But it would really help if we could at least agree that we all genuinely believe different things about how the Holy Spirit works and that this does not imply arrogance. Just difference. This mud slinging… Read more »

Alastair Newman
11 years ago

Any assumption that the Holy Spirit is also with those opposed to women’s ordination and consecration is also highly presumptive…

(Not in response to any particular statement)

Simon Sarmiento
11 years ago

Yes, please would all commenters refrain from calling each other names. Thank you.

Benedict
Benedict
11 years ago

In response to Erika, had you read my post carefully you would have noticed that I described the comment as arrogant, not the person.

Erika Baker
Erika Baker
11 years ago

Benedict it hardly matters. The point is that it is high time that we actually respect those who have different views. I am thoroughly sick of hearing the views people disagree with described as arrogant (invariably staggeringly so), just following the Zeitgeist, un-this, un-that… They are different. That’s all. And they are based on decades of careful theology. It is, of course! possible to disgree with them and to have a different theology. That is the nature of any important debate. But it has hardly news that many people who are not Roman Catholic do not believe in the claims… Read more »

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