The Anglican Bishops of Australia are meeting this week. Apparently there will be over 50 present. (I wonder how polite they are to each other :-)) One of the items is how to provide alternative oversight to those who will not accept a woman as their bishop.
Under the draft provisions still to be negotiated by the church's leaders, a male bishop would be deputised to carry out ceremonial duties including confirmations or ordinations, but he would not assume the authority of the woman bishop for whom he would be standing in.
Furthermore, an archbishop could absent himself from leading the consecration of a woman bishop if he objected. This could, for example, allow a woman bishop in a NSW diocese to be consecrated without the presence of the Sydney Archbishop, Peter Jensen, a strenuous objector to women bishops.
A retired male bishop or one from a neighbouring diocese could be invited to stand in for a female bishop, where conservative church members refuse to accept women ministries.
There are 2 possible vacancies which may be filled by women in the next few months- assistants in Melbourne and Perth. I will pray that at least one may be chosen.
I see the church in Wales narrowly defeated women bishops after an amendment to allow such alternative arrangements was dismissed. Good on them. The concept fills me with disgust.
If these men (and strangely even some women) cannot accept a woman in authority over them let them find somewhere else to worship. I have only utter contempt for the Archbishop of Sydney but unfortunately cannot ask for alternative oversight.
“As the Tempests of Hurricane Rage and Foam”
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