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| Next archbishop of Canterbury urges church to approve women bishops | Next archbishop of Canterbury urges church to approve women bishops |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The next archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has made an impassioned plea to the General Synod to approve legislation allowing women to become bishops, insisting the Church of England must "finish the job" on female ordination but promising to protect those who remain opposed. | The next archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has made an impassioned plea to the General Synod to approve legislation allowing women to become bishops, insisting the Church of England must "finish the job" on female ordination but promising to protect those who remain opposed. |
| Speaking during a marathon debate ahead of Tuesday afternoon's vote at Church House in Westminster, Welby, the bishop of Durham, said the measure on the table was "as good as we are going to get". | |
| But, drawing on his own experience in the evangelical wing of the church, he said he would do all he could to ensure the minority of traditionalists were provided for. The final approval vote – the most important the church has faced in the 20 years since it decided to ordain women as priests – is on a knife-edge. | |
| "It is time to finish the job and vote for this measure," he said. "But, also, the Church of England needs to show how to develop the mission of the church in a way that demonstrates we can manage diversity of view without division. Diversity in amity; not diversity in enmity." | "It is time to finish the job and vote for this measure," he said. "But, also, the Church of England needs to show how to develop the mission of the church in a way that demonstrates we can manage diversity of view without division. Diversity in amity; not diversity in enmity." |
| Referring to the additional code of practice which will – under the measure – be drawn up to allow alternative episcopal oversight for those who do not want women bishops, he added: "I am personally deeply committed – and believe that fellow bishops are also – to ensuring as far as I am able that what we promise today and later in the code of conduct is carried out faithfully in spirit as well as in letter." | Referring to the additional code of practice which will – under the measure – be drawn up to allow alternative episcopal oversight for those who do not want women bishops, he added: "I am personally deeply committed – and believe that fellow bishops are also – to ensuring as far as I am able that what we promise today and later in the code of conduct is carried out faithfully in spirit as well as in letter." |
| Opening the day's tense and emotional session, Welby's predecessor, Rowan Williams, urged synod members to speak from the heart. "By the end of today, whether the world will look at the General Synod of the Church of England and say: 'That looks like Jesus Christ' is a large prayer to ask," he said, "but it is the prayer we have to be asking because there is probably no other prayer worth praying in synod and the life of any church, any community … so let that be our prayer." | Opening the day's tense and emotional session, Welby's predecessor, Rowan Williams, urged synod members to speak from the heart. "By the end of today, whether the world will look at the General Synod of the Church of England and say: 'That looks like Jesus Christ' is a large prayer to ask," he said, "but it is the prayer we have to be asking because there is probably no other prayer worth praying in synod and the life of any church, any community … so let that be our prayer." |
| The measure, strongly supported by a majority of churchgoers and clergy, has vehement opponents among conservative evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics. | The measure, strongly supported by a majority of churchgoers and clergy, has vehement opponents among conservative evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics. |
| Leading Anglo-Catholic Simon Killwick insisted the measure, which would allow opposing parishes to request a male bishop, does not go far enough in providing for objectors. "Not only would the provision be insecure, it would be unfair," he said. "Bishops provided for traditionalists would almost always be acting as suffragan bishops; they wouldn't have oversight in their own right, but have it delegated to them; they would be second class bishops, making us second class Anglicans." | Leading Anglo-Catholic Simon Killwick insisted the measure, which would allow opposing parishes to request a male bishop, does not go far enough in providing for objectors. "Not only would the provision be insecure, it would be unfair," he said. "Bishops provided for traditionalists would almost always be acting as suffragan bishops; they wouldn't have oversight in their own right, but have it delegated to them; they would be second class bishops, making us second class Anglicans." |
| But, warning that if the measure were to fail it would deal "a devastating blow" to the morale of many in the church, Nigel McCulloch, the bishop of Manchester, said he believed the measure, though imperfect, could be made to work. | |
| "I believe it will enable the Church of England to flourish, and enable women to exercise the leadership which the great majority of us recognise as God's gift to this church," he said, "and I truly believe that, despite all the understandable concerns from those with theological difficulties about the ordination of women, that it will enable them to continue to have an honoured place within the Church of England." | "I believe it will enable the Church of England to flourish, and enable women to exercise the leadership which the great majority of us recognise as God's gift to this church," he said, "and I truly believe that, despite all the understandable concerns from those with theological difficulties about the ordination of women, that it will enable them to continue to have an honoured place within the Church of England." |
| But Jane Patterson, a member of the conservative evangelical group Reform, contrasted what she said was the Biblical view of a woman's role in the church with that of society. | But Jane Patterson, a member of the conservative evangelical group Reform, contrasted what she said was the Biblical view of a woman's role in the church with that of society. |
| "I dare to challenge you not to bow to cultural pressure and to pull us back from the brink of disunity," she told synod, urging people to reject the measure. | "I dare to challenge you not to bow to cultural pressure and to pull us back from the brink of disunity," she told synod, urging people to reject the measure. |