There was much media interest in the Church of England’s General Synod vote in July about women bishops (see August’s EN).
It is well known that Synod has been considering this for some time; part of the question has been how to provide for those churches which disagree. The significance of the vote was that it set a course for the ordination of women as bishops, which makes no legally binding arrangements for dissenting congregations. More than that — but less well-known — is that the proposed legislation would also remove the right of a local church to specify that it wants its own minister to be a man.
Misleading impressions
The press coverage could easily give the impression that those in favour of women bishops have won the argument; that those who are against it are reactionary, odd and chauvinist; that it is mainly Anglo-Catholics, and not evangelicals, who are concerned; and that there is no difference between the ordination of women as presbyters and bishops. Moreover, we evangelicals say to each other that we have other battles to fight at the moment; why be awkward about this? But these impressions need challenging. Here goes!
