“Yes, I voted for women bishops. What possible harm can come from it?”
By Robin G. Jordan
This past week the Church of England reached a major turning point in its history. The General Synod voted to go ahead with the consecration of women bishops without making any special provisions for those who cannot in good conscience accept their ministry. The message to traditionalist Anglo-Catholics and conservative Evangelicals was that Scripture, tradition, and their feelings of doubt about the propriety of women bishops do not matter. What is important is that gender should not be a barrier to elevation to the episcopate. Women should not be denied a place on the Church of England’s bench of bishops solely on the basis of their sex.
The blocking of the appointment of Dean Jeffrey Johns to See of Southwark may have spurred the liberals in the Church of England to deal a retaliatory blow to the conservatives and to show them who really is the top dog. With the way now cleared for the appointment and consecration of the first Church of England woman bishop, it would not be surprising if the candidates placed on the short list for next episcopal see include not only women but also lesbian women in same gender partnerships.
As the consequences of this decision work themselves out in the Church of England and the larger Anglican Communion, I anticipate that some may take the position that due to the failings of the Church of England in this century we should give less weight to our Anglican heritage or reject it altogether. What General Synod did this past week, however, should not be permitted to color how we view the Church of England. General Synod’s decision does not erase the important events and figures of the English Reformation, the Elizabethan Settlement, the Glorious Revolution, or the Evangelical Revival. It does not discredit the thought of benchmark Anglican divines like Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, Bishop John Jewel and Richard Hooker, Anglican Puritans like Archbishop James Ussher and William Gurnell, or Anglican Evangelicals like Charles Simeon and Bishop J.C. Ryle. It does not negate the contributions of the British military and naval chaplains and officers, the Hudson Bay chaplains and officers, the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, George Whitfield, and the Church Missionary Society to the spread of the gospel.
An assembly like General Synod is composed of men and women. As the Thirty-Nine Articles remind us, they all may not be governed by the Spirit and the Word of God (Article 21).
God overrules all things. If God allowed this to happen, then He did so because in some way it fulfills his purposes. How it carries out his purposes is hidden from us. The interpretation that some may give to this development may be far from the reason that God himself let it come to pass.
The Bible tells us that God removes his protection from those who disobey him. He hardens their hearts and gives them over to retrobation.
The Bible also tells us that God tests the heart. He refines us in the fire of adversity as silver is refined. The dross is burned away and the pure silver remains.
As a loving father he disciplines those who are his sons. His discipline is not capricious. It is meant for their good.
We can learn from the three young men of the Book of Daniel. The King Nebuchadnezzar set up a colossal image of gold and decreed that all should prostrate themselves before this image and worship it. Those disobeyed his edict would be cast into a fiery furnace. Upon learning that Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego did not serve his gods or worship the golden image, Nebuchadnessar commanded that they should be brought before him.
”Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:14-18 KJV)
Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego that he had the furnace heated seven times hotter than it was usually heated. The three young men were bound in their clothes and thrown into the fiery furnace. The fire in the furnace blazed so hot that the soldiers who cast them into it were themselves burned up. To his amazement Nebuchadnezzar beheld in the three young men loosed from their bonds. They were walking in the midst of the fire and were unhurt. With them was a fourth man whose form was like the Son of God.
Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego were willing to suffer a horrible death rather than disobey God. They trusted in God to deliver them. But even if he did not, they would not disobey him. The Bible contains their story because God wants us to learn from it. We must obey God whatever may be the consequences. Like Shadrach, Meschach, and Abed-nego, we must put our trust in God. God is with those who are humble and contrite of heart. He is not far from those who obey him.
In the Apocrypha the three young men are praising God and blessing the Lord as they walk in the midst of the fire. Verses 35-66 of their paean of praise is one of the canticles of Morning Prayer in the 1662 Prayer Book—Benedicite, omnia opera Domini.
O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye Powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Showers and Dew, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Winds of God, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Winter and Summer, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Dews and Frosts, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Frost and Cold, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Ice and Snow, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Nights and Days, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Light and Darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Lightnings and Clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let the Earth bless the Lord: yea, let it praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Mountains and Hills, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye Green Things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Wells, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Seas and Floods, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye Fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye Beasts and Cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Children of Men, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let Israel bless the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen
For centuries the Church sang this great song of thanksgiving every morning at the cathedral (or popular) office of Lauds, followed by the laudate psalms—Psalm 148, 149, and 150. It was known as the Benedicto, and in some places it replaced Lauds as the name of the dawn office.
In the Apocrypha the Prayer of Azarias, as it is titled in the 1611 King James Version of the Bible, which includes the Apocrypha, concludes with these words:
“… for he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the midst of the fire hath he delivered us. O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for ever. O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (The Prayer ofAzarias 1:66-68 KJV Apocrypha)
In the midst of our trials and tribulations let our voices be one with those of the three young men for God indeed has delivered us—through the death and passion of his Son Jesus Christ upon the cross. God’s mercy does indeed endure for ever.
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”(1 Peter 2:9-10 KJV)
As the apostle Paul wrote the church in Thessalonica, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks…” (1 Thessalonians (5:16-18 KJV).
3 comments:
Some bad reporting here Robin. You might want to read the letter +London sent his parishes.
It is not true that no provision was made for dissenters. In fact, while some do not like it on both sides of the divide, there is a requirement for a "statutory code of practice." The intent is that it will offer opponents ways to continue in the church.
FWIW
jimB
Jim,
The so-called 'statutory code of practice' is not regarded by Anglo-Catholics or conservative Evangelicals as a real or serious attempt to make provision for 'conscientious objectors.' It falls into the category of DEPO. Conservatives saw it for what is was--totally inadequate, and that proved to be the case. Otherwise, there would be no ACNA. So were Rowan William's Panel of Reference. They accomplished nothing. What you have in my article is not bad reporting but a solid conservative appraisal of the provisions that the General Synod made for those who cannot accepted the ministry of women bishops for reasons of conscience. If you have been following the story as I have been, you would be well aware how conservatives view the so-called 'statuatory code of practice.' They are not worth mentioning.
The Church of England had a good track record for making adequate provisions for 'conscientious objectors' to Prayer Book revision and the ordination of women. In this instant it followed the example of TEC. Its poor judgment in this matter is going to have devastating consequences for the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. I would not pin any hope in the so-called 'statory code of practice.' The Church of England's liberal wing was smarting from the blocking of Jeffrey Johns' appoinment as Bishop of Southwark and it has no intention of giving conservatives in the Church of England anything. It is perfectly happy to show them the door. There are, however, no winners in this fight, except the Muslims and the secularists. Women bishops is not going stave off the decline of the Church of England and the young conservative Evangelicals who might have reversed her fortunes are going to go elsewhere.
I definitely need grammar check and spell check.
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