Anglicans face split over women bishops

Wednesday, 16 February 2005 12:00 AM

The highly controversial issue of women bishops will be discussed in the general synod of the Church of England today.

Delegates will vote on whether the issue should be discussed further in a meeting in July, after which legal proceedings could be started that may see the first female bishops ordained in 2010.

The first women priests were ordained in 1994 and many in the Church believe that they can no longer be excluded from the episcopate.

But the issue is highly divisive and threatens to split the Church in two - many traditionalists have already split from the Anglican Communion over the issue of female priests.

A report by a House of Bishops working party, published last year, will open today's discussions.

It stressed the need for unity, saying that whatever the decision, the Church should include arrangements for those with opposing views to "live together in the highest possible degree of communion".

But many clergy argue that this is impossible, and that the divide of opinions is too wide.

"There's a real danger that the Church will break apart over this," said the Reverend David Houlding, leader of the Anglo-Catholic group on the synod.

"It's not simply an issue to do with justice, it's to do with the way God has revealed himself. The bishop has always reflected the fatherhood of God. God's name in the Bible is Father."

Another opponent, the Venerable Howell Saffer, put it more bluntly. "Jesus didn't choose any women disciples. He could have," he said.

However, others are more positive about the possibility of women becoming bishops and believe that a vote in favour of further discussions in the summer is likely.

"There is a growing sense that ordaining women is not so obviously against theological tradition and reason," said canon John Riches of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Campaigner Christina Rees added: "The vast majority of Church members want women bishops. Excluding half the human race is increasingly embarrassing."

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