Anglican Mainstream

From Chelmsford Anglican Mainstream

1  Petition calling for the rejection of the Single Clause Option.  See HERE.

The General Synod of the Church of England is being asked to bring forward legislation to allow women to be consecrated as bishops. A group chaired by the Bishop of Manchester has presented a report in which a number of approaches are suggested, offering varying degrees of legal provision for those holding to traditional and historic views on leadership in the Church. (This report may be downloaded from the Church of England website.)

The minimal provision suggested (in Annexe B of the Report) is the abolition of present legislation which allows parishes to pass the Resolutions set out in the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993 and the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod 1993. The only provision for objectors would be made via a ‘Code of Practice’, drawn up and applied by the bishops.

Pressure is being brought to bear in support of this ‘Single Clause’ option particularly by those who clearly have no sympathy for the traditional and historic position. It is therefore to be doubted that the Code of Practice would make genuine, sufficient and enduring provision for objectors to women bishops.

(It should be noted that there is already an acknowledged absence of Conservative Catholic and Evangelical representation amongst the current bishops, despite existing legislation stating that “no person or body shall discriminate against candidates … for appointment to senior office in the Church of England on the grounds of their view or positions about the ordination of women to the priesthood.”. This is itself suggestive that a ‘Code of Practice’ could not be relied on.)

This petition re-iterates the position taken at the National Evangelical Anglican Congress in 1977, which was then regarded by the large majority of Evangelical Anglicans as being biblical as well as traditional. It asks people to sign their agreement to that position and to urge the bishops and General Synod to take this into account by rejecting the ‘Single Clause, Code of Practice’ approach and to adopt one of the other options proposed in the Manchester Report.

Petition

We, the undersigned, being members of the Church of England in England, agree with clause J6 of the Nottingham Statement, passed by the National Evangelical Anglican Congress in 1977.

With respect to the consecration of women as bishops in the Church of England, we regard the ‘Single Clause, Code of Practice’ option proposed in Annexe B of the Manchester Report as making insufficient provision for those who share this view.

We respectfully ask the House of Bishops and the General Synod to take this into account when considering legislation to consecrate women as bishops, and commend their consideration of the other options in the Manchester Report.

Clause J6 reads, “We repent of our failure to give women their rightful place as partners in mission with men. Leadership in the Church should be plural and mixed, ultimate responsibility normally singular and male.” 

Sign the Petition

 

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2  Petition for supporters of women Bishops who believe that provision must be made for those who are in conscienceopposed.

The General Synod of the Church of England is being asked to bring forward legislation to allow women to be consecrated as bishops. A group chaired by the Bishop of Manchester has presented a report in which a number of approaches are suggested, offering varying degrees of legal provision for those holding to traditional and historic views on leadership in the Church. (This report may be downloaded from the Church of England website.)

The minimal provision suggested is the abolition of present legislation which allows parishes to pass the Resolutions set out in the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993 and the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod 1993. Any provision for objectors would instead be made via a ‘Code of Practice’, drawn up and applied by the bishops.

Pressure is being brought to bear in support of this ‘Single Clause’ option particularly by those who clearly have no sympathy for the traditional and historic position. However, the Manchester Report presents a number of reasons why this approach would be problematic, including moral, legal and theological considerations, adding that were such a ‘Single Clause’ approach to be adopted, “We have no doubt that many would conclude that they could no longer remain within a Church of England that had ceased to be willing to provide any reliable, national provisions for their convictions.”

There are those within the Church of England who, whilst they support the consecration of women as bishops, believe that proper provision must continue to be made for those who do not, and that this would not be available under a Code of Practice. This petition therefore expresses support for women bishops but urges the bishops and General Synod to reject the ‘Single Clause, Code of Practice’ approach and to adopt one of the other options proposed in the Manchester Report.
 

Petition

We, the undersigned, being members of the Church of England in England, support the consecration of women as bishops.

We note, however, the support given by General Synod to resolution III 2 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, which asserts that “those who dissent from, as well as those who assent to the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate are both loyal Anglicans.”

We regard the ‘Single Clause, Code of Practice’ option proposed in Annexe B of the Manchester Report as making insufficient provision for those members of the Church of England who do not share our view on women bishops.

We therefore respectfully ask the House of Bishops and the General Synod to take this into account when considering legislation to consecrate women as bishops, and commend their consideration of the other options in the Manchester Report.

Sign the Petition

 For further information, read HERE.

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