Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Women Bishops in the CofE - narrowing the broad church

http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2008/07/08/women-bishops-in-the-cofe-narrowing-the-broad-church/

[Anglican Mainstream] 8 Jul 2008--So it’s happened. The Church of England has voted for the single clause option on women bishops with a code of practice to look after dissenters, but no legal provision. The decision not to have legal provision was taken in order to defend the validity of women bishops - to legislate provision for those who dissent would be, it was argued, to undermine the authority of the women bishops. It must be granted that this makes logical sense, nevertheless it finally puts to rest the oft-repeated liberal lie that we are a broad church with room for everyone. I have to say, I feel like an unwelcome stranger in my own church. I am now, in a way, a criminal and my crime is the outrageously henious act of not moving at all.

Some bishops understood this. The chair of the debate, The bishop of Dover Stephen Venner, had this to say before the final debate on the amended motion (from here):

I have to say that for the first time in my life I feel ashamed. We have talked for hours about wanting to give an honourable place for those who disagreed. We have turned down almost every opportunity for those opposed to flourish. And we still talk the talk of being inclusive and generous. The Rochester report said in many many pages that there were a variety of ways in which scripture and reason could be read with integrity. It argued over and over again that it is possible to be a loyal member of the CofE and [accept] some legal safeguards for those who oppose the ordination of women. It is not just those who are opposed to the ordination of women who find the motion we have at the moment difficult. I do. Where is the CofE about which we have spoken today? Is this CofE to which we have come to in this vote the CofE at its best? I have to say I doubt it. Is this the CofE to which I thought I belonged? I have to say with huge sadness, I doubt it.

And there it is in a nutshell. The talk of being inclusive and generous is just that. Talk. In reality there is no desire to anything like inclusive and generous. And, since we’ve been noting it regularly, do also be aware that the promise made to Synod in the 90’s during the debate on the ordination of women to the priesthood that there would always be legal safeguards for dissenters has been knowingly abandoned. This is beyond a lack of charitable spirit - this is a knowing and deliberate breach of trust.

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