A sense of proportion

Holy Catholic Church showing the 2% accepting the ordination of women (OW)

In the face of claims by advocates of the ordination of women that they now command a majority in favour of women bishops in Synod we should retain a sense of proportion. Using published figures the Anglican Communion accounts for just 6% of the total membership with whom we closely identify in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. In the above chart the Anglican Communion is sub-divided into those who do not ordain women (4%) and those who ordain women to the episcopate or claim a two-thirds majority in favour (2%) so they are out-numbered by two to one in the Anglican Communion and overwhelmingly marginalised in the wider church. 

Addressing the 2008 Lambeth Conference, Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, observed that in breaking with the apostolic tradition the Anglican Communion is moving away from not only the Catholic Church but also the Orthodox churches. More and more, he said, the Anglican stance appears to resemble that of the Protestant churches born of the Reformation rather than a branch of the older Christian tradition. He said that despite 40 years of cordial and often productive talks between Rome and Canterbury, "full visible communion as the aim of our dialogue has receded further."  

Similarly in a recent letter congratulating Bishop Justin Welby on his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church commented: "Regrettably, the late 20th century and the beginning of the third millennium have brought tangible difficulties in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Churches of the Anglican Communion. The introduction [of] female priesthood and now episcopate, the blessing of same-sex ‘unions’ and ‘marriages’, the ordination of homosexuals as pastors and bishops – all these innovations are seen by the Orthodox as deviations from the tradition of the Early Church, which increasingly estrange Anglicanism from the Orthodox Church and contribute to a further division of Christendom as a whole."

The message could not be clearer. The Anglican Church is moving away from unity in direct contradiction to Christ's prayer 'that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me'. If the issue were before a Church Council it would be decisively rejected. Instead the self-interested constantly chip away at the foundations church by church so weakening the body of Christ in the world. How can anyone vote for that?

Bishops: a loss of trust

The desperate methods being employed to secure the ordination of women to the episcopate are now an embarrassment to the Church of England and in some respects look like a re-run of the vote in the Church in Wales in 2008 when their bishops thought they could ride roughshod over opponents. That measure was rejected for reasons explained in the following extract from a VirtueOnline special report:

THE CHURCH IN WALES VOTE ON WOMEN BISHOPS

Everyone who has been following the progress of moves to ordain women as bishops in the Principality will know that the enabling Bill failed on 2nd April. The bare bones of what happened are these: An amendment that would have given protection to traditionalists who could not accept the ordination of women by providing them with a bishop, was not passed.

When the substantive motion was then put to the vote of the Governing Body of the Church In Wales (CIW), it was assumed that it would go through on the nod. But curiously enough it did not. It failed by three votes to get the two thirds majority in the House of Clergy, one of the three houses of the Governing Body. The Bill therefore did not receive the necessary support.

We can conjecture as to why, unusually, this substantive motion was not approved after the amendment had been cleared out of the way. The reason is probably quite straightforward. When the draft Bill was published some months ago, Welsh traditionalists became concerned that nothing stronger than vague assurances over protecting their position would be put into the draft. This was in spite of the fact that under current arrangements there is a Provincial Assistant Bishop (PAB) who provides care for traditionalists. This post is currently held by Bishop David Thomas who is understood to be approaching the age of retirement. [Bishop David Thomas retired in 2008. He was not replaced. - Ed]

The amendment was voted down it seems because the majority of members led by the Archbishop of Wales, Dr. Barry Morgan, opposed what they saw as "institutionalised schism" being brought into the Church. It is believed however that several fair-minded members of the Governing Body in the House of Clergy were unwilling to vote for the substantive motion which would almost certainly have stripped traditionalists of their PAB in the proposed new setup.

Any future pastoral provision would have had to depend on the goodwill (were it to exist) of the future bench of bishops of the CIW, a bench which could well by that time have included female bishops. However, we are bound to admit that had the Bill including its amendment been passed, it would have created severe difficulties for the CIW. What could these have been?

We have to remember that the CIW is reckoned numerically to be about the size of the Diocese of Oxford (a medium sized C. of E. diocese). Taken as a whole, the CIW is therefore very small, given that it is divided into six dioceses, each with its own bishop.

The present system in Wales employing a PAB (not unlike the Provincial Episcopal Visitor system in England) has worked quite well because the traditionalists' bishop has concentrated on his pastoral duties, while the diocesan bishops, all men it must be emphasised, have restricted their duties in traditionalist parishes to the jurisdictional and administrative side of their work. Boats have not been rocked to test the present compromise system to its limits.

The author Roland W. Morant went on to explain: "As was realised in England a year or more ago when discussion was taking place on women bishops there, when women bishops are introduced into an episcopal college of men (as would apply to the present bench of Welsh bishops), the system using a PAB (or in England, PEVs) would become unmanageable." - Please follow this link to read Mr Morant's explanation in full.

As indicated in the extract above, the Archbishop of Wales is a relatively big fish in a very small pond. He is unrepresentative of the views of the wider church so he must have been chosen to represent the liberal ruling clique as their representative on the Crown Nominations Commission. The House of Bishops is showing the same cavalier attitude as Dr Morgan towards opponents in their 'Enough Waiting' campaign which has been condemned by a Barrister and Synod member in these terms: Bishops who pressure elected synod members to change their vote are suborning clergy and laity and inviting them to betray their electorate. Desperate to secure a 'yes' vote by whatever means a social media campaign has also been launched to encourage people to contact diocesan representatives and to use Facebook and Twitter to tell their friends to do the same thing regardless of whether they have any theological understanding of the issue, whether they attend church or not, or even if they are Anglicans.

This process has now lost all credibility. The Anglican church in England and in Wales is in a complete mess over the issue of women bishops. In Wales Dr Morgan is using sleight of hand to get the measure passed by their Governing Body having previously failed because traditionalists were ignored. In England bishops constantly retreat in the face of tirades from WATCH about demeaning women when according to many women in the church what they are doing is demeaning themselves and their sex. The Third Province provides a solution that enables both sides genuinely to respect the position of the other.
 

We need a fresh start. The measure should be rejected in the interests of unity so that our bishops can reflect on their actions and seek a solution acceptable to ALL. Otherwise the church as we know it is doomed. 

Ordering and teaching of the Church of England

 "Knowledge of the Canons by the Clergy is essential for the
right ordering and teaching of the Church of England."
+ERIC KEMP (former Bishop of Chichester)

From the Church of England web site which boasts 'a Christian presence in every community'. Perhaps 'a presence in every community' would be more appropriate.

C 18 Of diocesan bishops
1. Every bishop is the chief pastor of all that are within his diocese, as well laity as clergy, and their father in God; it appertains to his office to teach and to uphold sound and wholesome doctrine, and to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange opinions; and, himself an example of righteous and godly living, it is his duty to set forward and maintain quietness, love, and peace among all men.

Given that typical congregations are aging fast, they must include many cradle Anglicans who have done their bit and more over the years but no longer sit on committees or attend synods. Leaving others to take over their work they still, mistakenly it seems, rely on their bishop to promote unity in the church while upholding sound and wholesome doctrine. Instead worshippers find themselves out of step with modern thinking, abandoned by bishops who are more comfortable with political posturing than caring for 'all that are within his diocese'. A clear majority in the House of Bishops have sided with revisionists who demand that their opponents accept what they are given or leave their church. Even if all the bishops of the last 2,000 years were too blind to see what is now regarded as sound and wholesome doctrine, by what authority do they exclude worshippers who simply refuse to accept doctrine that is outside the teaching of the Holy Catholic Church? They claim to respect the views of their opponents but do not show it in any meaningful manner. Instead they engage in a campaign to force through unacceptable legislation not based on universally accepted theology but on the grounds that there has been 'Enough Waiting'. 

In his opening statement at the press conference at Lambeth Palace following the announcement that Bishop Justin Welby was to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury he said:
"This is a time for optimism and faith in the church. I know we are facing very hard issues. In 10 days or so the General Synod will vote on the ordination of women as Bishops. I will be voting in favour, and join my voice to many others in urging the Synod to go forward with this change. In my own Diocese, and before I was a Bishop, I have always recognised and celebrated the remarkable signs of God's grace and action in the ministries of many people who cannot in conscience agree with this change. Personally I value and learn from them, and want the church to be a place where we can disagree in love, respecting each other deeply as those who belong to Christ." 
But what does that mean in reality for those praying for a greater understanding of their pastoral needs? Absolutely nothing. Bishop Welby simply joins those bishops who are urging Synod to vote in favour of the measure in full knowledge that what is offered to opponents is no more than a promise to provide a code of practice that has no legal force. A code that if WATCH and GRAS have anything to do with it will go the same way as the promises made to ensure that women were admitted to the priesthood.

Apart from a few honourable exceptions whatever bishops believe today falls well short of what older Anglicans expect for the right ordering and teaching of the Church of England. It may be new Anglican but it is not Christian.

Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning 

We will remember them."

Where do we go from here?

After lengthy speculation, Downing Street has confirmed that Justin Welby is to be the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury. God help him, he will need our prayers. FiF has welcomed the appointment which is encouraging but on the downside his appointment has also been welcomed by Christina Rees, ex-Chair of WATCH, which does not bode well since he will be expected to be malleable to their will. Watching his press conference at Lambeth Palace he gave the impression of being his own man with a strong sense of conviction but stressed the need to listen attentively with regard to LGTB issues suggesting a possible about face on the question of same sex unions. He also urged the General Synod to vote in favour of legislation allowing women to become bishops. While he spoke positively about those who took a different conscientious view, as with the bishops who have taken part in the Enough Waiting campaign, there was no suggestion of further compromise. 

Chosen to represent the Anglican Communion on the Crown Nominations Commission was the Archbishop of the neighbouring miniscule Province of Wales. Rightly or wrongly the delayed announcement had the stamp of Dr Morgan all over it. Stubborn in the extreme and not given to compromise, Dr Morgan is well know for his leanings towards secularised religion so he will be well pleased that Bishop Welby has been commented on mainly for his secular achievements rather than for his spirituality plus the fact that he is a strong supporter of the ordination of women as bishops. With characteristic insight the Rev Dr Peter Mullen provides a useful pen-picture of the new Archbishop here including the observation the Bishop Welby holds his views on women bishops "as a result of careful study of the scriptures and examination of the tradition" to which Dr Mullins rightly responds: "Well, that’s nice to know. But where does it leave those of us who examine scriptures and inhabit a tradition but come to conclusions at odds with those of Bishop Justin? For example, my examination of scripture reveals that it does not contain even so much as one solitary example of a woman bishop or, if it comes to that, a single woman priest."

What is clear is that to get on in the church today one has to be a supporter of the ordination of women - note the quick exit from the selection procedure of the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres. Bishop Welby says he wants provision for 'traditionalists' but what can that amount to when any so called concession is regarded by WATCH as demeaning to women. In a briefing booklet Women Bishops Legislation - Not Fit For Purpose, members of the Conservative Evangelical and Catholic groupings in the General Synod commend the proposal put before the Church in Wales:

 "We could look to the Church in Wales for an example to follow; having
rejected previous unsatisfactory legislation for women bishops, they are now
looking at a new process with two related pieces of church legislation, one to
provide for women bishops, and the other to provide for traditionalists (the
former cannot come into force until the latter has been agreed). This
approach has the potential to provide more equally for both those who
support women bishops and for those who do not."

It is dangerous to read too much into this proposal. It results from Dr Morgan's intransigence in refusing to appoint a new Provincial Assistant Bishop (PAB) to replace the Rt Rev David Thomas following his retirement. It is widely thought that the Governing Body of the Church in Wales voted against the ordination of women to the episcopate in Wales because of the Archbishop's refusal to re-appoint a PAB, a posture he maintained while bringing forward this cunning scheme. These are the two-stage proposals:

 1. The first Bill would deal with the following matters of principle:

Women may be ordained as bishops in the Church in Wales.

There will be a scheme of pastoral provision, to be approved by the Governing Body by means of a second Bill, making provision for those who cannot in conscience accept the ministry of a woman bishop.　

If this first Bill were to be passed and become a Canon, it would not come into force until such a second Bill is approved by the Governing Body and becomes a Canon.

    2. The second Bill would refer to the Canon enabling women to be ordained as bishops. We have purposely suggested that the scheme of pastoral provision be included – presumably as a schedule – in a second Bill in order to give as much confidence as possible to those for whom it provides that their genuinely held views are being taken seriously and that the church is being faithful to its declared intent in 1996. 

It is suggested that the two Canons would come into force on the same day.

Despite the apparent good intentions, since 'traditionalists' in Wales have already been denied pastoral provision based on their own spiritual needs, any new scheme will be based on what the Archbishop decides, not too unlike the position now facing the Church of England except that pastoral care continues to be provided by the Provincial Episcopal Visitors, but for how long once women bishops are approved? 


The minimal provision before the Church of England Synod looks generous when compared with anything that might be expected by 'traditionalists' in the Church in Wales. They have no alternative but to accept or reject the pastoral care offered by the Bench of Bishops all of whom hold contrary beliefs. Under the Archbishop's new plan the issue becomes one of sex rather than integrity. If the diocesan bishop is a woman, a male colleague from the Bench may be requested but since neither would be of the required integrity the procedure is pointless. In the longer term, as the church becomes increasingly feminised and the number of bishops is reduced under proposals detailed in the Church in Wales Review there may, in the future, be only female bishops on the Bench. In the meantime Dr Morgan and the other bishops will be hoping that resistance will die out. It has not so far, nor will it.

The people of Wales should demonstrate that they are not as gullible as implied in the proposals and reject the ruse as another cynical attempt to deny 'traditionalists' what they were promised when women were admitted to the priesthood. Likewise in England, the measure before Synod has become one of integrity and should be rejected.

Who do they think they are kidding?

The Bishop of Sheffield has taken his turn in Archbishop Rowan's Enough Waiting campaign with the usual self-affirming assertions:

"In 1805, Admiral Nelson sent the most famous signal in naval history to the fleet: England expects every man to do his duty. 
I believe our country wants to send the same signal to the Church of England General Synod at the present time. 
The majority of people the Church of England serves in parishes across the land want to see women as bishops.  The society we serve wants us to make a positive decision, to take action and to move on. 
We have an immense task before us in the next ten years.  We are called to bear witness to God’s love and God’s justice and God’s ways and God’s call to know him in Jesus Christ.  We must not spend yet more time on this internal issue. 
Of course it's been important that we’ve taken the time to think through the biblical arguments.  Is there good evidence for women taking a leading role in ministry in the Bible?  Yes there is.  Mary Magdalene was the first witness of the resurrection.  Paul names many women as co-leaders and fellow workers with him. 
Of course it’s been important that we keep in step with other churches. We’ve pondered long and hard whether we can take this decision by ourselves.  The majority of us believe that we can and that we must as we have taken many other such decisions in the past. 
Of course it’s been important that we take time and care to find the right ways to make provision for those who will not accept this development.  I deeply respect those who hold such views.  I hold them in high regard.  They will continue to have an honoured place in the Church of England. I believe the traditions they represent have a vital part to play in our future.  I will continue to support them.
But we have now found that compromise position:  provision can be made without undercutting the ministry of the women who are ordained as bishops. We need to move forward.  However long we keep talking we will not find a better fit than this. 
Even those who are opposed to the measure are weary of the debate and need to know where they stand. 
So this is a moment for a clear decision.  We cannot continue with a situation where women are ordained deacons and priests but not as bishops. 
I believe we need the wisdom and perspective and gifts of women as bishops, urgently, in the House of Bishops, in dioceses and in our wider society.  They will be a rich gift to the Church and the nation. 
The overwhelming majority of dioceses have already given approval to this Measure.
For the sake of God’s Kingdom and God’s mission to this land in the coming years, I hope the overwhelming majority of General Synod members will support this measure.
England expects and the Church of England expects.  We need to deliver."

The duplicity of this campaign is mind-blowing. Who do they think they are kidding? Talk of 'respect' simply pays lip service to the 'Appleby amend­­ment', a cop-out if ever there was one. 

Of course these campaigners are in favour of the ordination of women. If they were not they would not be where they are today pouring out irrelevant propaganda to justify their position.  The legislation is not fit for purpose. It must be rejected.

Women: the life and death of the church

 

Historically the church owes much to women, none more so than to Mary: "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Luke 1:38. Her Son honoured their gifts assuring women of an enhanced status in the church from earliest times. Over the centuries Christian women have responded with selfless giving, ministering to those in need while nurturing their families as well as the wider family of the church. Indeed it is difficult to imagine how the church could have survived without their devotion but ironically it is because of a vociferous minority of women that the church is now in peril. Not satisfied with being deacons they have realised their ambition to be ordained as priests and now demand ordination to the episcopate to satisfy their lust for power in the name of equality.

There are many thousands of non-Christian women in the world who are treated as mere possessions, often suffering appalling cruelty and abuse but instead of tackling this obscene inequality, the church is targeted with claims that the ordination of women will rid the world of misogyny, homophobia and the brutalization of women. Considering that many of the worst excesses occur under Sharia law it is not clear how this is to be achieved especially when Christian men as well as women are considered by Muslims to be inferior to them.

The blunt fact is that these women are not representative of their sex but have bamboozled a gullible House of Bishops into believing their cause. In consequence the church is in turmoil. Each so-called 'liberation' has led to another resulting in the current demand for same sex unions. We live in a world of delicate balance, in a thin film surrounding a pale blue dot in the vastness of space. There are many dependencies which secure our existence, none more so than the nature of male and female, each with a complementary role to play for the benefit of each other and most importantly to secure the future of our children. That balance has been upset in society and is being extended to the church with devastating consequences.

The revisionist changes have done nothing to secure the future of the church. On the contrary, it has been estimated that at the present rate of decline the Church of England will be dead within a generation. Women have sustained the Church for two thousand years but now we are witnessing her painful death because of the selfish few.