Williams may not consecrate women bishops
-03/10/05
The Archbishop of Canterbury may decline to consecrate women if the Church decides to allow them to become bishops, reports the Daily Telegraph.
A proposal being discussed at the highest levels of the Church reports the paper, would mean that Dr Rowan Williams could forgo his role as the primary consecrator of bishops in the south of England, delegating the task to another bishop.
Some traditionalists within the church say they could not accept the validity either of women bishops or of any male bishop who consecrates a woman.
But senior insiders believe that all but the most diehard opponents of women bishops would feel able to remain under the Archbishop’s authority if he did not consecrate women personally.
At present, Dr Williams is expected to lead all consecrations in the southern province – the Archbishop of York is responsible for the north. But the proposal would mean that the Archbishop could appoint a number of traditionalist bishops to minister to the parishes across the country that are expected to reject women bishops.
The advantage of the plan, it is argued by some, is that it falls well short of the demands by the leaders of Forward in Faith, the traditionalist umbrella group, for a parallel church-within-a-church.
They want what they call “a third province”, an enclave with its own archbishop, bishops, theological training colleges and synod, but no female clergy. But the idea is regarded by many as little more than officially sanctioned schism.
Dr Williams is said to be sympathetic to a compromise and insiders believe that he would give up consecrating bishops if the General Synod asked him to do so for the sake of unity.
The House of Bishops is drawing up options to put before the synod in February when it debates whether to allow women to become bishops.
Williams may not consecrate women bishops
-03/10/05
The Archbishop of Canterbury may decline to consecrate women if the Church decides to allow them to become bishops, reports the Daily Telegraph.
A proposal being discussed at the highest levels of the Church reports the paper, would mean that Dr Rowan Williams could forgo his role as the primary consecrator of bishops in the south of England, delegating the task to another bishop.
Some traditionalists within the church say they could not accept the validity either of women bishops or of any male bishop who consecrates a woman.
But senior insiders believe that all but the most diehard opponents of women bishops would feel able to remain under the Archbishop’s authority if he did not consecrate women personally.
At present, Dr Williams is expected to lead all consecrations in the southern province – the Archbishop of York is responsible for the north. But the proposal would mean that the Archbishop could appoint a number of traditionalist bishops to minister to the parishes across the country that are expected to reject women bishops.
The advantage of the plan, it is argued by some, is that it falls well short of the demands by the leaders of Forward in Faith, the traditionalist umbrella group, for a parallel church-within-a-church.
They want what they call “a third province”, an enclave with its own archbishop, bishops, theological training colleges and synod, but no female clergy. But the idea is regarded by many as little more than officially sanctioned schism.
Dr Williams is said to be sympathetic to a compromise and insiders believe that he would give up consecrating bishops if the General Synod asked him to do so for the sake of unity.
The House of Bishops is drawing up options to put before the synod in February when it debates whether to allow women to become bishops.