Confrontation threatened over women bishops issue

Thursday, 3rd December 2009
By Toby Cohen

Confrontation is threatened by traditionalists in response to the latest news from the Revision Committee on Women in the Episcopate which has ruled out the structural changes demanded by those opposed to women bishops.

After its third meeting, the Committee said it was “unable to identify a basis for specifying particular functions for vesting which commanded sufficient support both from those in favour of the ordination of women as bishops and those unable to support that development. As a result all of the proposals for vesting particular functions by statute were defeated.

“The effect of the Committee’s decision is therefore that such arrangements as are made for those unable to receive the episcopal ministry of women will need to be by way of delegation from the diocesan bishop rather than vesting.”

The remaining options are to simply allow women to become bishops in the same way men would, or to do so with an accompanying Code of Practice which would advise on pastoral oversight for those unhappy with women bishops. the rest