"space or room for those who cannot recognise women bishops within the same household of faith and with interconnecting doors"Yes, I can see that there might well be disunity in some ways when a woman is consecrated as bishop (though this is not likely to be for twelve years yet apparently!) and yet I was still a little shocked (I really shouldn't be, should I?) to see that the Roman Catholic church had expressed grave concerns about the suggestion that the Church of England allowed women into the episcopate. Surely the divisions are sufficient already in some ways - they do not consider ANY Anglican clergy to be valid ministers male or female so clearly our bishops are not either surely, male or female.
For me this whole issue is important, yet the wrangling over it frustrates me as, although I want a church that represents unity to those outside it, I also want a church that LOOKS outside it rather than focusses inwards on politics. Yes equality of ministry is about demonstrating the Gospel in some ways but I do worry that we spend too much time on all the legalities and niceties of it all and ge distracted from what God really wants us all to be doing: spreading the GOOD NEWS.
women bishops
1 comment:
The difference is that it is imaginable that one day the Catholic Church might recognise the male Anglican clergy - but it simply doesn't have the authority to recognise female priests or bishops.
Chris
Post a Comment