Partly because I'm slightly troubled by the lack of any proper theological argument in favour of women bishops on the new 'Yes2womenbishops' website (though I can understand why), and partly because it saves me writing anything new, here's my two-penn'orth on women bishops from way back in 2008. My views haven't changed, though I'd be interested to know if those of WATCH have.
Of course, that piece doesn't address whether the impending vote has 'proper provision' for people who can't agree with women bishops. I would hope that the 'proper provision' is the fact that we're all Christians, and can all deal with one another as Christians. If we can't do that, we're stuffed. Any relationship that has to resort to legal solutions to sort out differences is in serious trouble.
(update: link fixed now!)
Would love to read your 2008 post, but all your links go to yes2womenbishops, which may be some sort of sign, or possible a hyperlink error.
ReplyDeleteProblem with the "we are all Christians" thing is that it has been shown through the process to be very much lacking from many of those in the upper echelons of WATCH and others. I blogged on this a while back (http://youthpastablog.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/women-in-church-leadership/) and the more I think about it the more I am convinced that whilst I think women bishops is a good thing, both practically and in the eyes of Gd, the way the fight has been fought actually means that if they come in now it will rend the CofE asunder. Time and calmer heads are needed, on both extremes of the argument, if things are to be done to enable those against to remain and those for to realise that being a bishop is not a right.
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