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| Campaigners for women bishops in despair as laity rejects reform | Campaigners for women bishops in despair as laity rejects reform |
| (5 months later) | |
| As the archbishop of York, John Sentamu, worked out the numbers, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes sat in the public gallery with her head buried in her lap and her hands clasped in prayer. The result was not what she, or any other, supporters of women bishops wanted to hear. Surrounded by fellow campaigners trying their best to stay upbeat, the vicar from County Durham sat in St Matthew's church, Westminster, and cried. She was far from the only one. | As the archbishop of York, John Sentamu, worked out the numbers, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes sat in the public gallery with her head buried in her lap and her hands clasped in prayer. The result was not what she, or any other, supporters of women bishops wanted to hear. Surrounded by fellow campaigners trying their best to stay upbeat, the vicar from County Durham sat in St Matthew's church, Westminster, and cried. She was far from the only one. |
| "I can't believe anyone in the Church of England thought that making us talk about this for the next five or 10 years was a good use of our time," she said. "The thought the people voted against it thinking we might get something better next time is just bizarre." Even when successive members of the General Synod had got to their feet to state their objections to the measure, she had remained optimistic. "I thought it was going to go through," she said. | "I can't believe anyone in the Church of England thought that making us talk about this for the next five or 10 years was a good use of our time," she said. "The thought the people voted against it thinking we might get something better next time is just bizarre." Even when successive members of the General Synod had got to their feet to state their objections to the measure, she had remained optimistic. "I thought it was going to go through," she said. |
| The gathering at St Matthews, a short walk from Church House and Dean's Yard, had been organised by Watch, the campaign group for women's ordination. "We did say it was either a 'rejoice' or a 'not rejoice' evening," said Sally Barnes, spokeswoman for the group. As it turned out, even though clergy, bishops and sympathetic laypeople came along and tried to put on a brave face, there was no getting away from it: there was no rejoicing to be had. | The gathering at St Matthews, a short walk from Church House and Dean's Yard, had been organised by Watch, the campaign group for women's ordination. "We did say it was either a 'rejoice' or a 'not rejoice' evening," said Sally Barnes, spokeswoman for the group. As it turned out, even though clergy, bishops and sympathetic laypeople came along and tried to put on a brave face, there was no getting away from it: there was no rejoicing to be had. |
| "People are deeply upset and some are very weepy because they're angry," said Barnes, who was one of the founding members of Watch and has campaigned for women to gain access to the highest reaches of the church since the late 1970s. "The female clergy in particular feel it's a slap in the face for them." | "People are deeply upset and some are very weepy because they're angry," said Barnes, who was one of the founding members of Watch and has campaigned for women to gain access to the highest reaches of the church since the late 1970s. "The female clergy in particular feel it's a slap in the face for them." |
| What made it so hard to accept, she added, was that the vast majority of dioceses – 42 of 44 – had given a resounding 'yes' to the legislation. "The [female] laity in the churches generally want women bishops because the vast majority of them are working, professional women and see this as total discrimination." The laity elected to the church's governing body, however, has a rather different reputation. | What made it so hard to accept, she added, was that the vast majority of dioceses – 42 of 44 – had given a resounding 'yes' to the legislation. "The [female] laity in the churches generally want women bishops because the vast majority of them are working, professional women and see this as total discrimination." The laity elected to the church's governing body, however, has a rather different reputation. |
| "We have always said that the lay representation in synod is not representative of the church," said Barnes. | "We have always said that the lay representation in synod is not representative of the church," said Barnes. |
| It was always going to be in the house of laity – more than 200 ordinary people elected to the synod to have a say in the workings of the church- that the measure, if it failed, was going to fail. Justin Welby, the incoming archbishop of Canterbury, told members it was "time to finish the job" and vote in favour, while demonstrating that "we can manage diversity of view without division – diversity in amity, not diversity in enmity". | It was always going to be in the house of laity – more than 200 ordinary people elected to the synod to have a say in the workings of the church- that the measure, if it failed, was going to fail. Justin Welby, the incoming archbishop of Canterbury, told members it was "time to finish the job" and vote in favour, while demonstrating that "we can manage diversity of view without division – diversity in amity, not diversity in enmity". |
| But throughout the day, the synod heard impassioned speeches from both conservative evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics – many of them women – about why it should say "no". | But throughout the day, the synod heard impassioned speeches from both conservative evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics – many of them women – about why it should say "no". |
| Kathleen Playle, from Hornchurch in Essex, who was in a wheelchair, said she had come to London, "broken ankle, broken foot and all", to help reject the measure. | Kathleen Playle, from Hornchurch in Essex, who was in a wheelchair, said she had come to London, "broken ankle, broken foot and all", to help reject the measure. |
| Mary Judkins of Wakefield diocese raised gentle chuckles as she outlined her evangelical view of women in the church. "Equality doesn't mean 'the same'. We're different. Women are not here just to make tea, although this is a deaconal role," she noted, carefully. "It's about theology." Jane Patterson, who helped circulate a petition against the measure called Proper Provision, urged the church not to give in to criticisms of its stance on equality – or lack of it. "I dare to challenge you not to bow to cultural pressure and to pull us back from the brink of disunity," she said. | Mary Judkins of Wakefield diocese raised gentle chuckles as she outlined her evangelical view of women in the church. "Equality doesn't mean 'the same'. We're different. Women are not here just to make tea, although this is a deaconal role," she noted, carefully. "It's about theology." Jane Patterson, who helped circulate a petition against the measure called Proper Provision, urged the church not to give in to criticisms of its stance on equality – or lack of it. "I dare to challenge you not to bow to cultural pressure and to pull us back from the brink of disunity," she said. |
| According to many in the pro-women bishops majority, the laity has become more dominated by special interests- often conservative ones – since the vote to allow women to become priests in 1992. "I think what has happened over the last 20 years … is that the representatives of the General Synod have become more representatives of tribes of the Church of England," said Tony Baldry, the Conservative MP who speaks for the church in parliament. "So, Anglo-Catholics and evangelicals … who come here to represent their own tribal loyalty rather than the dioceses they represent." | According to many in the pro-women bishops majority, the laity has become more dominated by special interests- often conservative ones – since the vote to allow women to become priests in 1992. "I think what has happened over the last 20 years … is that the representatives of the General Synod have become more representatives of tribes of the Church of England," said Tony Baldry, the Conservative MP who speaks for the church in parliament. "So, Anglo-Catholics and evangelicals … who come here to represent their own tribal loyalty rather than the dioceses they represent." |
| One of the poster women for the conservative evangelical movement is Susie Leafe, a member of Reform who also fought against the measure under her own steam. She refused to express triumph at the failed measure. "I think in some ways it was a no win situation," she said. "There's a feeling of relief there is the possibility that the Church of England will find a better way forward but there's also an overriding sorrow that we got to this point." | One of the poster women for the conservative evangelical movement is Susie Leafe, a member of Reform who also fought against the measure under her own steam. She refused to express triumph at the failed measure. "I think in some ways it was a no win situation," she said. "There's a feeling of relief there is the possibility that the Church of England will find a better way forward but there's also an overriding sorrow that we got to this point." |
| And Leafe rejected criticism that the house of laity was disproportionately weighted towards those on her side of the argument. "Laity makes up 98% of the church so the very fact that it was the laity who said 'hang on a minute' is very important," she said. | And Leafe rejected criticism that the house of laity was disproportionately weighted towards those on her side of the argument. "Laity makes up 98% of the church so the very fact that it was the laity who said 'hang on a minute' is very important," she said. |
| That, however, will not reassure those who feel that the vote is a sign that something has gone badly wrong in the church's democratic process. | That, however, will not reassure those who feel that the vote is a sign that something has gone badly wrong in the church's democratic process. |
| "The proposal had the overwhelming support of most of the Diocesan Synods, and this raises very serious questions about the representation of General Synod, and calls for a broad review of how General Synod members are elected," said the bishop of Lincoln, Christopher Lowson. | "The proposal had the overwhelming support of most of the Diocesan Synods, and this raises very serious questions about the representation of General Synod, and calls for a broad review of how General Synod members are elected," said the bishop of Lincoln, Christopher Lowson. |
| Nor will it be of any comfort to female clerics, who feel angry, betrayed and bitter. "It feels really, really rubbish at the moment," said Rosie Harper, the vicar of Great Missenden and chaplain to the bishop of Buckingham, speaking bluntly. And where does this leave the Church? "Hugely embarrassed, and with ethical standards that are lower than those of the country," she said. "You wouldn't get away this in the police force, in the government, in the health service, so it's an institution with its own institutionalised sexism." | Nor will it be of any comfort to female clerics, who feel angry, betrayed and bitter. "It feels really, really rubbish at the moment," said Rosie Harper, the vicar of Great Missenden and chaplain to the bishop of Buckingham, speaking bluntly. And where does this leave the Church? "Hugely embarrassed, and with ethical standards that are lower than those of the country," she said. "You wouldn't get away this in the police force, in the government, in the health service, so it's an institution with its own institutionalised sexism." |
| Many said they felt the church's future as a credible and representative force in the country was being profoundly imperilled. There are perhaps none for whom that will be so relevant as Hannah Page, a youth representative, who was one year old in 1992, the year synod voted to ordain women. Plaintively, she told synod before the vote: "We've been discussing this issue my entire life … Please don't make me wait until I'm 30 for this to pass." Her call was met with cheers. Yet waiting is exactly what she's going to have to do. | Many said they felt the church's future as a credible and representative force in the country was being profoundly imperilled. There are perhaps none for whom that will be so relevant as Hannah Page, a youth representative, who was one year old in 1992, the year synod voted to ordain women. Plaintively, she told synod before the vote: "We've been discussing this issue my entire life … Please don't make me wait until I'm 30 for this to pass." Her call was met with cheers. Yet waiting is exactly what she's going to have to do. |
| • This article was corrected on 21 November 2012. A mix-up over speaker numbers led to Kathleen Playle, who said she had come to London despite a broken foot to speak against allowing women to become bishops, being confused with Carol Wolstenholme, who spoke strongly in favour of the measure. Mary Judkins was incorrectly named as Mary Ludkins. | • This article was corrected on 21 November 2012. A mix-up over speaker numbers led to Kathleen Playle, who said she had come to London despite a broken foot to speak against allowing women to become bishops, being confused with Carol Wolstenholme, who spoke strongly in favour of the measure. Mary Judkins was incorrectly named as Mary Ludkins. |
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