Tuesday 10 July 2012

No surprises at Synod

The predicted and successful attempt to delay the Church of England General Synod's vote on women bishops [here] raises the interesting question as to how exactly is the C of E 'episcopally led.' That it is 'synodically governed'  is beyond dispute.
However the opponents of Clause 5 (1) c choose to phrase their objections, their real motive is not the avoidance of 'second-class' (sic) women bishops at all, but a desire to see all those opposed to female ordination and the theological stance they so persistently hold robbed of any constitutional legitimacy within the provinces of Canterbury and York. Nothing must stand in the way, or even be seen to question in any form, the triumphant progress of the new religion.
To Catholic traditionalists and Conservative Evangelicals alike even the more intellectually respectable innovators and revisionists (not to mention the increasingly mad feministas of WATCH) have said repeatedly, 'trust us, you don't need any kind of legislative protection.'
Unfortunately, just across the border here in Wales we know exactly how far we can trust them.
The statement from Forward in Faith is here. The comment "This calls into question the commitment of the Church of England to provide for the religious convictions of all her loyal members" has to be the understatement of the year so far.
There is an online petition (organised by the Revd John Richardson) to keep the Bishops' provision [here
It's a very welcome move indeed, and if you are concerned about the significant reduction and deliberate undermining of Anglicanism's breadth of theological understanding, please sign it as a matter of priority (i.e. now!) but there are really no words to express my dismay that the defence of apostolic orthodoxy in the Church of England has been reduced to this      

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