Understanding the Arguments

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Understanding the Arguments WOMEN BISHOPS Understanding the Arguments Jane Steen Mark Steadman Affirming Catholicism UK & Society of Catholic Priests 2011 Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 31 2 Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 CONTENTS 1 How come this debate? page 5 Sub-heading / explanation 2 Why (not) Women Bishops? page 7 Sub-heading / explanation 3 By what means women Bishops? page 14 Sub-heading / explanation 4 The Archbishops’ Amendment page 16 Sub-heading / explanation 5 The Draft Measure in Dioceses page 18 Sub-heading / explanation 6 But what about ...? page 20 Sub-heading / explanation 7 The question for the Synods page 21 Sub-heading / explanation Conclusion page 22 About the Authors page 23 Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 3 WOMEN BISHOPS Understanding the arguments Introduction If you are a member of a diocesan synod you will have a meeting in the near future at which your Synod will be asked if it approves the General Synod’s draft law concerning women bishops. This is a matter of such significance that the church asks as many as possible of its people to become involved in the decision making process. The General Synod can only proceed with this legislation if at least half of the dioceses do support the draft law. Your views and your vote matter. You need to have reflected on the issue, listened to those you agree and disagree with and prayed about what your decision might be. In many dioceses, deanery synods will also think about this issue, and their views can inform the diocesan synod. PCCs or parish groups might also want a discussion. These are all important ways for the whole church to come to a mind. Both authors of this Guide believe that men and women should be ordained to the episcopate. But the material here also tries to explain why not everyone agrees. It is impossible to do justice to any arguments in a guide of this size, so we offer ‘headline’ points, not exhaustive treatment. In 1911, a prime minister’s son described a compromise as two people agreeing to do what they both think is wrong. The Church of England does not need a compromise like that. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by a decision such as this, where all the options seem to hurt someone. But the last day of debate on the draft Measure in the General Synod of July 2010, people for and against women bishops recognised in their speeches that everyone would have to sacrifice something if we are to continue as one Church of England. The Holy Spirit guides the Church, and we must open ourselves and commit ourselves to the Spirit as we play our part in discerning God’s will in this matter. 4 Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 HOW COME 1 THIS DEBATE? The Church of England agreed to ordain women as priests in 1992. It did so in 1994. In 2000, the General Synod asked the House of Bishops for further study on women bishops. The Bishop of Rochester chaired the resulting study group, which published Women Bishops in the Church of England? (2004). General Synod discussed this and a further group chaired by the Bishop of Guildford produced Women in the Episcopate. In July 2006, the Synod passed a motion to ‘welcome and affirm the view of the majority of the House of Bishops that admitting women to the episcopate in the Church of England is consonant with the faith of the Church as the Church of England has received it and would be a proper development in proclaiming afresh in this generation the grace and truth of Christ.’ A group to draft legislation was appointed, chaired by the Bishop of Manchester. This reported on the issues involved. In July 2008, General Synod requested draft legislation, by February 2009 which would admit women to the episcopate and make special arrangements for those opposed, through a statutory and national Code of Practice. The February 2009 Synod meeting set up a Revision Committee of General Synod bishops, clergy and laity; some members of the committee did, and some did not, want women bishops. The Revision Committee revised the draft legislation. In July 2010, Synod commended, with small amendments, the work of the Revision Committee to the Dioceses. The Synod Reports on these debates show that a lot of theological thinking has been done over women bishops. Much of the debate has been about how to care for those who would not accept the ministry of such bishops. We now turn to the arguments in the current debate. Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 5 6 Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 WHY (NOT) 2 WOMEN BISHOPS? We can group the discussion about women bishops in the Church of England under three headings: Scripture, Theology, and the Church of England. Some of the arguments apply just as well to women in ministry as priests, (e.g. as curates, chaplains, vicars and rectors); others just apply to bishops. What does the Bible say? Many Scriptural texts address relations between Christians and between men and women. Some texts receive particular focus in the current debate. But although we look at texts below, Scripture is not simply a collection of (sometimes contradictory!) ‘proof’ texts. It is important to ask what, overall, God is saying to the Church through and beyond Scripture. The old order… Genesis 3:16 makes inequality in marriage a consequence of the Fall. I Timothy 3:16 says that the writer permits no woman to teach or have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. Paul says this in I Corinthians 14:34 as well. And before the resurrection, Jesus appointed twelve men, ‘whom he also named apostles’ (Mark 3: 14), although many, including women, followed him (Mark 2:15, Luke 8:3). …and the new? Genesis 1:27 is very clear that before the Fall, God created humanity, male and female, in his image. In the New Testament, Paul also allows women to pray and prophesy (I Corinthians 11:2f) and he seems quite happy with women in ministry (Romans 16:1). And after the resurrection, Jesus himself made a change. The post resurrection reality In John 20:17-18, the risen Jesus tells Mary Magdalene to proclaim the resurrection to the disciples. The only other person so distinctively called to this proclamation after Jesus’ rising was Paul. Before the resurrection, then, Jesus called Jewish men, in accordance with the Jewish law. After it, he called a woman to announce the resurrection and a Jew to go to the Gentiles. Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 7 2 We can see that Mary Magdalene is sent Is the ordination of to instruct the first (male) Christians. Her task is to go and tell people of women good theology? the resurrection. Some argue that this means that this is the limit of her task, it is simply evangelistic and there is The debate about women bishops is a nothing about her presiding over the debate about faithfulness: faithfulness remembrance of the Last Supper. This to Scripture, faithfulness to the teaching is important as there are those that say of the Church, faithfulness to other such presidency is an apostolic task and Christians. We have chosen three can only be exercised by those who are theological topics concerning God’s apostles. Luke talks of the twelve at the faithfulness and ours. Last Supper as being apostles, whilst John refers to them as disciples. It is Incarnation on this basis that some argue that as only the twelve are properly described Jesus came to redeem humanity - as apostles then only men can exercise men and women. The incarnation this ministry. Yet it is assumed in demonstrates God’s faithful, steadfast 1 Corinthians that all members of the love for humanity. Individually, we church are present and welcome at still sin. But the Incarnation makes a the Lord’s supper and it is not clear restored relationship with God possible that such presidency is limited solely through Jesus. This could imply that the to men. An apostle is one who is sent household of God should always be with a particular task – that apostolic ordered in accordance with such texts task is essentially to tell others about as I Timothy 3:16 and that Genesis 3 Jesus. The apostle is also an evangelist. applies to the Church. Or it could imply Mary is given a task, to be an apostle that the church, as the community to the other apostles. Since this time of those accepting this restored the understanding of the apostolic relationship, should have structures task has developed and is often seen reflecting our created equality (Gen as belonging to Episcopal ministry. 1:27), as the Incarnation reverses the Sometimes Bishops are described as the Fall. Women bishops in the Church of successors of the apostles. If Mary, in England should be one part of fully her time, can be entrusted with the key establishing an apostolic ministry which apostolic task of telling others about the bears witness to what Jesus has done resurrection then many question why for us. women can’t be entrusted with what this apostolic task is now understood to be. Baptism Baptism makes us members of the Church, and incorporates us into Christ. Of course baptism does not destroy human difference. But women and girls are as fully baptized into Christ 8 Women Bishops Understanding the Arguments 2011 2 as men and boys. We all, regardless of reformed. But what do these structures ... all priestly gender, participate in the life of God mean? ministry is Christ’s, through being baptized into the death for Scripture tells of Jesus.
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