A Pastoral letter from Bishop Alastair on Women Bishops and the General Synod

Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 August 2010 11:49

On 12 July the General Synod of our church supported a recommendation from a specially appointed committee to proceed towards the consecration of women as Bishops. There has been considerable controversy and confusion in the media, and amongst some members of our church. There are three things we need to note prayerfully and carefully.

First, the decision of the Synod includes a strong commitment to make provision for those who cannot accept this development. Some of the reactions in the media suggest the contrary. Because of the complexities involved and the long process which is still developing, there has been considerable debate about the nature of this provision, which will be established within the legal framework of a Code of Practice.

Second, the crucial issue concerns the balance of grace and law. The Committee established by Synod spent an enormous number of hours carefully considering a wide range of proposals. Their recommendation, now endorsed by Synod, is that there should be a formal provision to create a separate space for those desiring the oversight of a male bishop, but that this should not become a legally separated space (for separate jurisdiction).

In 1888 the Lambeth Conference brought together several centuries of Anglican tradition by declaring that the essential marks of our church consist of four elements (a Quadrilateral).

• The Holy Scriptures, which provide the foundation and touchstone of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The Holy Sacraments of baptism and communion, which provide the means of being called, cleansed and renewed to be God’s Holy people and a light to His world.
• The Catholic Creed, which roots every experience of faith in God in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Episcopacy – the system of oversight whereby each bishop brings connection and focus to their diocese, and represents that diocese to others in terms of the church praying, acting and deciding together. Because the Anglican tradition has always embraced a variety of views about the interpretation of scripture, sacraments and creed, this system of ‘oversight’ enables a gracious, lively and faithful togetherness in seeking to discern and expound the Gospel. It provides a network of representatives of every part of the church to seek to celebrate and explore our common life as a church together.

The Synod has endorsed this system of episcopacy (bishops) as essential to our identity. It is a fellowship of bishops committed to working and praying together to create communion across our churches and thus offer a coherent witness and invitation to others.

Some opponents of the decision would prefer a legally separated system, establishing male bishops of an approved pedigree, who would not be in communion with women and other bishops, but would rather oversee a parallel system. This would, in fact, create two churches rather than one. The offer of gracious recognition and willingness to work together in a single communion made by women and others in favour of the present proposals, would not be fully reciprocated. Relations from the ‘traditionalist’ side would be limited, their space ‘protected’ from women and those who recognise their ordained ministries, while being based on a conscientious objection to acknowledgment of the validity of such ministries.

This is a claim for separated spaces, not a communion within which differences are mutually acknowledged with humility and grace. Churches which operate in separated spaces based upon non recognition of their ordained and overseeing ministries enjoy ecumenical relationships – deep fellowship which acknowledges fundamental differences.

When women were first ordained to the priesthood in 1994 there was a commitment to continue to provide an honoured space within the Church of England for those who disagreed with the decision. The present proposals are committed to honouring this promise – based upon a mutual graciousness. However, contrary to some comments, there has never been a promise to create a separated space which would be disconnected from the Church of England by a reluctance of one group to acknowledge the system of oversight given by God to connect the Church as One Body – a connection we call catholic.

For these reasons, I believe that the Synod has made the right decision. It coheres with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s profound call to understand mission as ‘recognising what God is doing and joining in’. Across the world the Holy Spirit is opening eyes to see the value and gifts of women – in faith groups, in society. We are able to discern in Scripture the radical involvement of women in the ministry and teaching of Jesus, and of Paul. We are able to discern the sacraments as moments and processes which renew and reconnect all of Christ’s sisters and brothers in His Body the Church.

Similarly, the Archbishop of York has continually called for radical recommitment to community, within which there can be no privileged areas of superiority or separation. The decision of the Synod endorses these generous theologies of new life being poured out in new and transforming ways.

The third point to note is that in the next eighteen months we will have an opportunity to discuss these proposals in our own Diocesan Synod, and thus contribute to the final decision of our church. Further details of this process of consultation will be available shortly.

The key issues revolve around how to be faithful to God’s power and presence calling us into a richer salvation through the light of Scripture, the transformation of sacraments, the integrity of the catholic creed, and the effectiveness of episcopacy to help all this saving grace be focussed in a communion recognisable to others as offering the good news of Jesus Christ. There will be other churches, offering their own insights and experiences, but as Anglicans we have a particular calling. The proposals endorsed by Synod invite us to affirm that women have a full, honoured and appreciated place at every level of that one church. We are invited to advance under God’s guidance and call, proclaiming that half the human race are not disqualified from such full participation simply because of the way God has made them. The catholic faith is based upon inclusion through grace.

I hope that we can have much fuller discussions in the diocese, and together learn to celebrate our diversity – the richness brought by women, by traditionalists, by those who challenge us to be rooted in scriptural teaching. And that together we can find ways of mutual recognition and support which keeps us connected in the catholicity of a vibrant communion, a single Body honouring fully all its members, and expressing that common witness through a system of oversight that is diverse but not permanently nor legally divided.