Archbishops Try to Hold it Together, Order Re-Vote on Women Bishops

[cbayer]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/6651/archbishops_try_to_hold_it_together__order_re_vote_on_women_bishops/


December 3, 2012 1:16am Archbishops Try to Hold it Together, Order Re-Vote on Women Bishops Post by JOANNA BROOKS

Let’s try this again.

That’s the official word from the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England on the question of women’s ordination as bishops, which was voted down November 20 by the Church’s General Synod and will now receive a rehearing no later than July 2013.

Their statement reflects broad dismay and disbelief that “No”’s prevailed the first time around. And it may also signal an institutional pushback against a numerically and organizationally ascendant evangelical conservative minority that counts among its numbers incoming Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

“The dominant feeling we have is that a terrible injustice has been done; that real democracy has been violated: 42 dioceses out of 44 voting in favour; the vast majority of people in the Synod voting for women bishops; and yet because this vote required a two thirds majority in all three Houses, the vote failed by six votes in one of the Houses of the General Synod,” wrote the Rt. Rev. Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol, in an address delivered December 1.


“Where women are suppressed, denied education and denied their leadership roles, the development of that country is inhibited and held back,” Hill continued. “It would be unfair to suggest that all the problems of the Church of England would be sorted had we proceeded to allow women into the episcopate, but some of them would. I wholeheartedly believe that the ministry of the Church of England will remain underdeveloped until we get women bishops.”

more at link

[hrmjustin]

1. Good! We here in the American church got the ball rolling. It is time the COE and the Anglican

communion follow the lead of the Episcopal Church.

[xchrom]

2. Du rec. Nt

[rug]

3. I can't see any theological reason to grant Orders to women priests but not to women bishops.

[cbayer]

4. Looks like it has a lot more to do with politics than theology.

Some are blaming fall in membership and attendance on the ordination of women.

[dimbear]

5. If all or even essentially all the women voting had voted aye, the measure would have passed.

From what I hear, (CBS) exactly the opposite situation prevailed. A higher percentage of men voted aye than women.

That doesn't sound like politics to me. That sounds like someone remembering scriptural admonitions.

[cbayer]

6. I don't think you can assume that did not reflect politics.

There could have been political threats, fear of losing what power they had.

I haven't seen anything exploring why the women voted no.

[dimbear]

7. I can't find anything beyond the one radio program I listened to. A breakdown and

some exit polling would be welcome.

I do keep in mind a somewhat parallel situation, the anti-suffragettes. They included some remarkably important women, but none of them are likely to show up on stamps or coins for their trouble. Their 'logical' explanations why they as women didn't want to vote seem a bit silly now.