Updated Wednesday morning
Today’s General Synod news is extensively covered in the Press, and leads many of Wednesday’s front pages.
The Guardian has
The Telegraph’s main story is
In the Independent the coverage is headlined:
Update
Channel 4 News has a report which includes video from Church House and also an interview with Tony Baldry: Church of England votes against women bishops.
For many more links, see the CofE Media Briefing for today.
34 CommentsUpdated overnight
Affirming Catholicism has issued this statement.
The failure of the Women Bishops’ Measure to achieve the necessary majority in the House of Laity today is a huge disappointment and sadness. Many men as well as many women will experience this as a real blow, but our hearts particularly go out this evening to our women clergy who have ministered so effectively in the Church and had hoped today would be an affirmation of their ministry.
The full text is copied below the fold.
WATCH has issed a press release (only on Facebook at the moment)
Today’s vote is a devastating blow for the Church of England and the people of this country.
This vote is a missed opportunity for a whole generation to see women and men sharing fully in the mission, ministry and leadership of the Church of England.
The full text is copied below the fold.
Inclusive Church has issued a press release which can be read here.
Inclusive Church deeply regrets that General Synod did not approve the Measure that would have allowed women to become bishops in the Church of England.
We hope that church leaders will take urgent action to bring forward new legislation and to restore public confidence in the Church.
Dianna Gwilliams, Chair of Inclusive Church said:
“I’m personally disappointed that this legislation did not receive the necessary majority in the House of Laity of General Synod. It is clear that the Houses of Clergy and Bishops, along with 42 out of 44 Diocesan Synods believed that the legislation was the best fit.
This debate is not about women. It is about the nature of our church and her leadership. I pray that as we continue to listen prayerfully to each other God will grant courage to all women and men who, together, are providing courageous leadership in our church.”
GRAS has issued this statement:
3 CommentsWe are deeply disappointed that the General Synod has made a decision so out of step with the will of the Church of England as a whole. The Synod’s decision to reject the Measure cuts right across what the vast majority of men and women in the Church of England long for and shows that our attempts at compromise have been ignored. It undermines the validity of the ministry of every ordained woman and sends out a negative message to all women everywhere. A single clause measure is now what GRAS will press for at every level.
Following the defeat by General Synod of the women bishops legislation this afternoon the Church of England issued this press release.
General Synod Rejects Draft Legislation on Women Bishops
20 November 2012The General Synod of the Church of England has voted to reject the draft legislation to allow women to become bishops.
Under the requirements of the Synod the legislation required a two-thirds majority in each of the three voting houses for final draft approval. Whilst more than two thirds voted for the legislation in both the House of Bishops (44-03) and the House of Clergy (148-45), the vote in favour of the legislation in the House of Laity was less than two-thirds (132-74). The vote in the House of Laity fell short of approval by six votes.
In total 324 members of the General Synod voted to approve the legislation and 122 voted to reject it.
The consequence of the “no” vote of terminating any further consideration of the draft legislation means that it will not be possible to introduce draft legislation in the same terms until a new General Synod comes into being in 2015, unless the ‘Group of Six’ (the Archbishops, the Prolocutors and the Chair and Vice Chair of the House of Laity) give permission and report to the Synod why they have done so.
Speaking after the vote the Rt Revd Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, said: “A clear majority of the General Synod today voted in favour of the legislation to consecrate women as Bishops. But the bar of approval is set very high in this Synod. Two-thirds of each house has to approve the legislation for it to pass. This ensures the majority is overwhelming. The majority in the house of laity was not quite enough. This leaves us with a problem. 42 out of 44 dioceses approved the legislation and more than three quarters of members of diocesan synods voted in favour. There will be many who wonder why the General Synod expressed its mind so differently.
“The House of Bishops recognises that the Church of England has expressed its mind that women should be consecrated as bishops. There is now an urgent task to find a fresh way forward to which so many of those who were opposed have pledged themselves.”
The House of Bishops of the Church of England will meet at 08.30am on Wednesday morning in emergency session to consider the consequences of the vote.
Exact voting figures will be found here.
To clarify the statement “The vote in the House of Laity fell short of approval by six votes.”, if six members of the House of Laity had voted in favour instead of against, the vote would in that house would have reached the necessary two-thirds majority.
30 CommentsFinal approval of the legislation to allow women to become bishops in the Church of England was defeated by the General Synod today, because the vote in the House of Laity was less than the necessary two-thirds majority.
The main motion before Synod was
That the Measure entitled “Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure” be finally approved.
and this required a two-thirds majority of those present and voting in each of the three houses. [Abstentions are counted but not included in the calculation.] The votes were:
| For | Against | Abstention | |
| Bishops |
44
|
3
|
2
|
| Clergy |
148
|
45
|
0
|
| Laity |
132
|
74
|
0
|
James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool
summary of speeches by Bishop of Manchester and Canon Simon Killwick
summary of speech by the Bishop of Durham
summary of speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury
If I find any more I will add them.
1 CommentTwo questions were asked at General Synod on Monday which were answered by the Bishop of Guildford. The full list of all Questions is available here (PDF).
53. Miss Prudence Dailey (Oxford) to ask the Chairman of the Council for Christian Unity:
Q. Has consideration been given to whether the Church of England is in full and unimpaired communion with Bishop Mark Lawrence and the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina?
54. Mrs Lorna Ashworth (Chichester) to ask the Chairman of the Council for Christian Unity:
Q. Following the recent issue of a Certificate of Abandonment of the Episcopal Church in relation to the Rt Revd Mark J Lawrence, Bishop of South Carolina, and recognising that Bishop Lawrence has been one of the declining number of theologically conservative bishops who has sought to remain and to keep his people within TEC, in the light of paragraph 6 in the statement offered to the Synod in GS Misc 2011 by the Archbishops, are there any plans to consider proposing to the Synod fuller recognition of the Anglican Church in North America than has been considered to be appropriate up to this point.
The Bishop of Guildford’s answer (transcribed from audio recording available here)
25 CommentsWith your permission sir, I will answer this and Mrs Ashworth’s question together.
The withdrawal from The Episcopal Church of most of the clergy and people of several dioceses, led by their bishops, after diocesan convention decisions, is a development novel in kind as well as in scale. Our North American sisters and brothers have been often involved in a litigious and sometimes acrimonious debate. We should try to remain on good terms with all parties and avoid inflaming matters further. Our response should be deliberate, and not hasty.
As the Archbishops noted in GS Misc 1011, the creation of the Anglican Church in North America raises questions of recognition of orders – ministry – as well as a relationship of communion. The former question is in some respects simpler, because the considerations are more objective, and it is also the more pressing, by reason of requests for transfer. Nevertheless there are some matters that require clarification before any decisions can be taken.
Clergy ordained in several churches with which we are not, or not yet, in communion are seeking permission to minister in the Church of England. The Council for Christian Unity has therefore established a small group to offer advice to the Archbishops through the Faith and Order Commission on the relevant issues. The question about the Anglican Church in North America’s orders (whether it is a church and whether its orders are such, whether they such that we can recognize) will be addressed in that context. This will necessarily involve direct ‘engagement with the Anglican Church in North America’ which was envisaged in the Archbishops General Synod miscellaneous paper that I have referred to, GS Misc 1011, and that will be the context for subsequent exploration of relationships between our churches.
On Saturday, a Special Diocesan Convention endorsed the South Carolina withdrawal from The Episcopal Church. The Bishop has stated that their position would be to remain within the Anglican Communion as an extra-provincial Diocese. The Episcopal Church on the other hand maintains that General Convention consent is necessary for any withdrawal. So the legal and indeed theological and ecclesiological position is extremely complicated. And it is absolutely not certain.
It has therefore not been possible to consider the consequences for our relationships at this immediate stage. And, in my view, any statement just at this point would be premature.
Updated Tuesday morning
Guardian Lizzy Davies Church of England prepares for vote on female bishops
Telegraph John Bingham General Synod: arcane procedures mask passions running high
and Church warned over women bishops
Emma Barnett Women bishops: refuseniks have run out of excuses
Peter Stanford Women bishops: judgment day, at last
Mail Online Church of England to hold final vote tomorrow on whether to approve a law to allow women bishops
Update
BBC Women bishops: Church of England synod to vote
Guardian Editorial Let bulwarks be bishops: women in the Church of England
Guardian Natalie Hanman Should women be bishops?
1 CommentHere’s a brief, official summary of today’s opening day of Synod: General Synod: Summary of business on Monday 19 November 2012.
Audio files of the session are available here.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has published a speech he made today: Archbishop heralds “another model of Church life coming to birth”.
0 CommentsOver a thousand clergy of the Church of England have signed an open letter to The Independent urging the General Synod to vote in favour of women bishops in Tuesday’s ballot. The letter, with a complete list of signatories, is here: Open Letter: The Biblical case for women bishops.
Daniel Goddard, Gerard Brand, Jonathan Brown and Kunal Dutta write about the letter in the Independent: Clergy demand women bishops ahead of General Synod.
The Telegraph also reports on the letter: Church of England General Synod: women bishop vote in balance as row looms.
There are other news items previewing the debate.
Telegraph John Bingham Top female cleric urges backing for ‘imperfect’ women bishops deal
BBC Michael Buchanan Church of England to vote on women bishops
5 CommentsMail Online Adrian Hilton Archbishop Justin Welby will try to be all things to all men
Daniel Deng, the Archbishop of Sudan, was interviewed about Bishop Welby’s appointment to Canterbury on the BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme this morning. The three minute interview starts 15 min 42 sec in from the start.
This article by Lucy Bannerman was originally published behind the paywall at The Times on 9 November and is now available for all to read at the Ottawa Citizen: New Archbishop of Canterbury is no bumbling academic
2 CommentsUpdated Sunday night
There are several items this weekend about Tuesday’s debate and vote on women bishops.
Independent Emily Dugan Church of England poised to vote for women bishops
Telegraph John Bingham All eyes on ‘game-changer’ Welby as Church faces final showdown on women bishops
Telegraph Cole Moreton Ladies in waiting at the Church of England
Ruth Gledhill was interviewed on the BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme this morning. The five minute interview starts 20 min 15 sec in from the start.
Update
Guardian Lizzy Davies Female bishops: history awaits at CofE General Synod vote
0 CommentsThe Church of England has issued the following advice about visiting General Synod. It will be particularly relevant for the debate on the women bishops legislation which is timetabled for both the morning and afternoon sessions next Tuesday.
Visiting General Synod
Arrangements have been announced for those wishing to visit general synod and observe its proceedings.
112 tickets will be available each day for the public gallery.
Tickets will be valid for either the morning session (9am-1pm) or afternoon session (2pm-7pm).
Those wishing to view for the whole day will need to obtain tickets for both sessions.
Tickets for the morning session will be available from 8.45 from the Deans Yard entrance to Church House.
Tickets for the afternoon session will be available from 1.45 from the same place.
Tickets will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Those leaving the premises will be asked to return their tickets to allow others to enter.
In addition to tickets for the public gallery there will be a further 40 tickets available for the Abbey Room where a live feed of proceedings will be broadcast.
There will also be an opportunity to follow synod proceedings via twitter where the CofE comms account – amongst others – will be live tweeting proceedings. The hashtag being used for the whole session will be “#synod”
The proceedings will also be broadcast on a live audio feed available from the Church of England website.
The agenda for the synod is available here: http://bit.ly/WaeYTV
2 CommentsToday’s Church Times has several articles about the appointment of Justin Welby as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. Some are only available to subscribers, but these two can be read by all
as can this editorial.
4 Comments
Updated latest Friday afternoon
As next Tuesday’s debate and vote at General Synod approaches here are a few recent press articles.
Church Times Madeleine Davies As Synod vote nears, both sides slug it out online
Guardian Vicky Beeching How social media could swing the vote for women bishops
Ekklesia Simon Barrow Saying ‘yes’ to women bishops
Telegraph Riazat Butt Women bishops will have to accept discrimination to exist
Update The Church Mouse reports that Evangelical Women’s Group AWESOME back Women Bishops.
Church of England Newspaper Jody Stowell Yes2WomenBishops?
2 CommentsThe press is still interested in the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Telegraph John Bingham Blessed are the Rock Badgers as Justin Welby heads for Canterbury
John Bingham Pope welcomes new Archbishop of Canterbury
Katy Brand Justin Welby’s ‘real world’ outlook bodes well for women bishops
Rachel Cooper New Archbishop of Canterbury takes RBS chief Stephen Hester to task
Damian Reece What the banker should have said to the bishop
John Bingham and Daniel Johnson Christians ‘should not be afraid’ to refer to their faith, says new ArchbishopTime Megan Gibson As The Next Archbishop of Canterbury, Can Justin Welby Save The Anglican Communion?
Mail Online Anna Edwards Hats off to you! New Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby is already a hit as he swaps headgear with a policeman
Economist Alpha male
There are also more reactions to the appointment.
Colin Coward of Changing Attitude Archbishop-elect Justin Welby has the potential to be very good news
Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk congratulates newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Finally, the Guardian has this article by Andy Beckett about Bishop Welby’s old school: Eton: why the old boys’ network still flourishes
1 CommentUpdated again on Friday
A retired bishop and a 67 year old retired priest were arrested by Sussex Police today in relation to allegations of sexual abuse. The Church of England issued this statement this morning.
Statement from the Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, Chair of the Churches National Safeguarding Committee
13 November 2012The Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, Chair of the Churches National Safeguarding Committee said:
“We can confirm that police today arrested a retired Bishop and a 67 year old retired priest in relation to allegations of sexual abuse. The church has been working closely with Sussex police throughout this investigation and the full statement can be read here.
The Church of England takes any allegations of abuse very seriously and is committed to being a safe place for all. To this end we have robust procedures and policies in place. But we can never be complacent. We would like to urge any victims or those with information to feel free to come forward knowing that they will be listened to in confidence.
We have also put support systems in place for all those involved with today’s arrests. Should anyone have further information or need to discuss the personal impact of this news the Church has worked with the NSPCC to set up a confidential helpline no. 0800 389 5344. Although we cannot comment on this case any further at the moment, lessons must be learnt and it is our mission that all our churches are places of safety and joy, of righteousness and justice.”
Although neither the Church nor the police gave the names of those arrested, the media have not been so reticent.
Guardian Robert Booth Retired bishop Peter Ball arrested on suspicion of child sex offences
Independent Tom Pugh Retired bishop Peter Ball held in child sex abuse investigation
Telegraph John Bingham Former Church of England bishop held over sex abuse claims
BBC Former bishop and retired priest arrested over abuse claims
Mail Online Steve Nolan Retired Church of England bishop, 80, arrested by police over historic child sex abuse allegations at scandal-hit Diocese
Update Sussex Police have issued this update.
Guardian Robert Booth Bishop’s arrest part of broad inquiry into Chichester diocese child abuse
Friday update Guardian Robert Booth Police receive further abuse complaints against retired bishop
Comments are closed for this article.
0 CommentsWATCH (Women and the Church) has today issued this Synod Briefing Statement.
18 CommentsTIME TO MOVE ON!
Where we are now – Anglican women in ordained ministry
The Church of England depends on its women priests. Twenty years ago (11.11.92) General Synod voted to ordain women as priests. Today we have over three thousand women ministering in parishes and others in chaplaincies in hospitals, prisons, schools and universities. One in three priests is female and almost 50% of new ordinands. Four of our cathedrals have female Deans and there are 26 female archdeacons active in the leadership teams of dioceses.
There have been women bishops in the Anglican Communion since Barbara Harris was ordained in 1989. Since then 34 women have been consecrated in New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Cuba, South Africa and the USA. In all these provinces of the Anglican Communion, no legal provision was made for those who oppose women in ordained ministry. Other provinces as varied as Scotland and the Sudan have opened the way for women bishops but not yet made a first appointment.
The discussion so far…
GS voted on a motion to ordain women as deacon, priest and bishop in 1978 – it lost. We have been discussing this issue ever since – for a whole generation.
The present legislative process began in 2000. Since then there have been 3 major church reports, regular debates in Synod and fifteen months of detailed drafting work. All the dioceses in the country have been consulted and at every step of the way support for this legislation to enable women to be bishops has been overwhelming: 42 of 44 dioceses voted ‘yes’ – with more than 75% of all votes cast in favour.
The provision for those opposed in the draft legislation
One reason for the overwhelming support for this legislation is the generous support offered to those who are opposed.
Under the draft Measure any parish can request a male priest or bishop on the grounds of their theological conviction and these convictions must be respected. This will be backed up by a Statutory Code of Practice with legal force. Some people say that this is not enough, but it is as much as can be given without seriously damaging the Church – and 29 dioceses voted against further provision being made.
This is a compromise for everyone
The draft ‘Measure’ is a considerable compromise for those in favour of women bishops. There will be parishes where women will be barred from serving as priests, and women bishops will have to delegate to a male bishop where the parish requests it. Nowhere else in the Anglican Communion has provision been spelled out in law at all – things have been worked out through building relationships ‘on the ground’. Most of WATCH’s supporters would much prefer to have seen this sort of arrangement in the Church of England too. But we have compromised so as to make space for those who are finding this change difficult.
Voting ‘yes’ for this would also be a compromise for those opposed because the legislation does not give them as much reassurance as they would like.
The 20th November
On Tuesday 20th November, General Synod will have to consider “The Measure” as it stands. Nothing can be done to amend it now without starting all over again.
Some, from both sides, want to wait in the hope of getting something better, but to do so would be incredibly destructive. Another 10 years going over and over the same arguments would cripple the Church’s credibility and mission. It would also deprive the Church of the skills and wisdom of women bishops. To waste our time and talents in this way would be quite wrong.
Despite our concerns that this Measure does not do enough to eradicate discrimination from the Church, WATCH is praying that Synod will vote ‘yes’ on 20th November. This is far from the perfect Measure for women, but it is what has been negotiated after years of consultation amongst those of all perspectives. A ‘yes’ will enable women bishops to be appointed whilst allowing that those who disagree to have a respected place within the Church of England.
Time to Decide!
‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven’ Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time for discussion and a time for decision. Twenty years after the vote for women’s ordination to the priesthood, and twelve years after we started exploring this issue in detail, it’s time to decide – time to move on.
The Reverend Rachel Weir Chair of WATCH said “This week we have been celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the vote for women priests. We pray that next week, Synod will complete the work that was started in November 1992 and vote for women bishops.”
updated again Thursday morning
The Chairs of Reform and the Catholic Group in General Synod have jointly published a printed booklet which has been sent to all synod members. It is available online as a PDF: Women Bishops Legislation Not Fit for Purpose.
Update and here is part 2: Yes 2 Women Bishops Part 2: The Right Measure at the Right Time
Church Society has published a video urging a vote against the Measure. See the associated press release here.
New articles continue to be posted at the website Replace the Measure.
Further material in the Church Times is mentioned in this news article: Synod women-bishops vote appears too close to call by Madeleine Davies.
Andrew Brown asked at Cif belief Female bishops vote: heading for a full dress fiasco?
26 CommentsMore reactions since our article on Friday.
News items
Observer Peter Stanford The evangelical HQ that claims the new primate as one of its own
[originally published under the headline “New archbishop started his journey to Lambeth Palace at a radical church”]Telegraph Charles Moore Justin Welby is the Alpha male to save the Church of England
Cole Moreton Archbishop of Canterbury: ‘You have no future in the Church’BBC John McManus Justin Welby: Those who bet on me should donate winnings
Welby calls for winnings to be donated to church
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby: World reactionHuffington Post Jaweed Kaleem Justin Welby, New Archbishop Of Canterbury, Watched By Pro-Gay Rights Episcopalians As Church Tensions Continue
The Diocese of Durham has published a video of Bishop Justin’s Message To The Diocese.
Living Church John Martin +Welby’s Self-effacing Debut
Episcopal News Service Matthew Davies Hopes and gratitude for incoming, outgoing archbishops of Canterbury
Independent Joan Smith Our zombie church has a new leader. So what?
AllAfrica Nigeria: Who Will Close the Gulf Between Nigerian, UK Anglican Churches?
Mail Online George Arbuthnott and Adam Luck Revealed: Archbishop blindfolded by rebels with Kalashnikovs on jungle mercy mission
Bloggers
The Dean of Durham has written An Open Letter to the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Leonard Clark has written Shall we stay or fall away?
Alan Wilson And a (Blindfolded) Child shall lead them?
Krishnan Guru-Murthy An untroublesome priest?
(+)+Welby – post-Protestant evangelical?
Colin Coward of Changing Attitude Justin Welby – is he good news for LGB&T Anglicans?
Andy Walton at Fulcrum Beginning Well: A Reflection on Justin Welby’s first press conference at Lambeth Palace
Reactions to the appointment
Statements on 105th Archbishop of Canterbury from across the Anglican Communion
Church of England Evangelical Council
Some earlier items
7 CommentsLiving Church Justin Welby: A TLC Interview
In addition to the recordings published here, you can watch a complete, unedited, video recording of the Questions and Answers portion of the press conference here.
0 Comments