Guildford report proposes TEA and sympathy
By Glyn Paflin

THE MAJORITY of the House of Bishops supports the exploration of a proposed "middle way" through problems the Church of England faces if it ordains women bishops.

The proposal has been made by the House of Bishops’ working group on women bishops, chaired by the Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Revd Christopher Hill.

A mixture of leak and rumour about the proposal has circulated since the autumn ( News, 6 January). Bishop Hill confirmed at a press briefing on Monday that "TEA" was indeed on the table: "transferred episcopal arrangements", for which parishes unable to accept women bishops would be able to petition.

It would leave the rest of the C of E, the Bishop said, "entirely clear of all that can be called discriminatory against women’s ministry at all levels. So Resolutions A and B, potentially against acceptance of women priests in any parish of the Church of England at the moment, would be abolished."

The General Synod will debate the Guildford report next month; and the Archbishop of Canterbury will move that it explore further, and decide the next steps in July. The rest