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| Female bishops and the Church of England: what happens next? | Female bishops and the Church of England: what happens next? |
| (5 months later) | |
| Why isn't this covered by existing equalities legislation? | Why isn't this covered by existing equalities legislation? |
| The Church of England – along with other religious organisations – is exempt from equalities and employment legislation. That doesn't mean, of course, that its non-religious jobs – secretaries, for instance, or clerks – are not covered by the legislation. But it is able to discriminate on the grounds of sex in its choosing of deacons, priests and bishops. Critics of the exemption have long feared it could come under scrutiny in the event of the female bishops legislation failing in the synod despite receiving widespread approval elsewhere. Last year, the Labour MP Frank Field tabled an early day motion calling on the government to remove all the church's exemptions relating to sex discrimination if such an event came to pass. | The Church of England – along with other religious organisations – is exempt from equalities and employment legislation. That doesn't mean, of course, that its non-religious jobs – secretaries, for instance, or clerks – are not covered by the legislation. But it is able to discriminate on the grounds of sex in its choosing of deacons, priests and bishops. Critics of the exemption have long feared it could come under scrutiny in the event of the female bishops legislation failing in the synod despite receiving widespread approval elsewhere. Last year, the Labour MP Frank Field tabled an early day motion calling on the government to remove all the church's exemptions relating to sex discrimination if such an event came to pass. |
| Is this likely to be tackled by the state and how might this affect the disestablishment debate? | Is this likely to be tackled by the state and how might this affect the disestablishment debate? |
| David Cameron has said he is "very sad" about the failure of the vote, and has urged the church to "get with the programme". But he made clear the government considers this to be a matter for the church as an "individual institution" to settle for itself. Many MPs, though, are unhappy. Labour's Ben Bradshaw, who insists the church is "answerable" to parliament, said he had asked Commons clerks for advice on what could be done. It is possible a 10-minute rule bill will be tabled, which could at least allow the issues arising from the vote to be raised in parliament. Among them will, of course, be the status of the established church. Senior Liberal Democrats, including the chief whip, Alistair Carmichael, have questioned whether the 26 Lords Spiritual should be allowed to stay in the upper chamber if the situation stays the same. Chris Bryant, a Labour MP and former Anglican priest, said: "I think we shouldn't allow anyone else in [to the Lords] until there are women bishops." | David Cameron has said he is "very sad" about the failure of the vote, and has urged the church to "get with the programme". But he made clear the government considers this to be a matter for the church as an "individual institution" to settle for itself. Many MPs, though, are unhappy. Labour's Ben Bradshaw, who insists the church is "answerable" to parliament, said he had asked Commons clerks for advice on what could be done. It is possible a 10-minute rule bill will be tabled, which could at least allow the issues arising from the vote to be raised in parliament. Among them will, of course, be the status of the established church. Senior Liberal Democrats, including the chief whip, Alistair Carmichael, have questioned whether the 26 Lords Spiritual should be allowed to stay in the upper chamber if the situation stays the same. Chris Bryant, a Labour MP and former Anglican priest, said: "I think we shouldn't allow anyone else in [to the Lords] until there are women bishops." |
| Will people leave the church as a result? | Will people leave the church as a result? |
| Unlikely – at least not in large numbers. Although there is great anger among those who want to see women in the episcopate, there is a sense that, although they didn't manage it this time, they will ultimately succeed. Moreover, unlike, say, Anglo-Catholics, there is no obvious place for them to go. The Church of England remains, after all, a church where women can be priests. (Although, for those who don't mind travelling, there is always the US Episcopalian church, or one of the other Anglican churches where women can already be bishops.) In a blog on Wednesday, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, a vicar in County Durham, said she felt "rejected by the church that accepted me for ministry". But she said that, for reasons including her calling by God and her duty to her parish, she would not be resigning. | Unlikely – at least not in large numbers. Although there is great anger among those who want to see women in the episcopate, there is a sense that, although they didn't manage it this time, they will ultimately succeed. Moreover, unlike, say, Anglo-Catholics, there is no obvious place for them to go. The Church of England remains, after all, a church where women can be priests. (Although, for those who don't mind travelling, there is always the US Episcopalian church, or one of the other Anglican churches where women can already be bishops.) In a blog on Wednesday, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, a vicar in County Durham, said she felt "rejected by the church that accepted me for ministry". But she said that, for reasons including her calling by God and her duty to her parish, she would not be resigning. |
| What happens next? | What happens next? |
| Rowan Williams was clear on Wednesday that the issue should be pursued as quickly as possible. This being the Church of England, however, that will not be particularly quickly. The synod, on Williams's recommendation, voted against meeting formally in February, so will next hold a gathering in July. But, barring an unlikely intervention by the Group of Six – representatives of all three houses of synod – the issue will be off the agenda anyway until 2015. Those lobbying for female bishops have said they will push for a new and more uncompromising single-clause measure that does not feature provisions for their opponents. To do this they would need to rescind the Act of Synod 1993, and shoot down its famous "flying bishops" – which could be easier than passing Tuesday's measure, because it would only require a simple majority. In the words of one campaigner: "The gloves are now off." | Rowan Williams was clear on Wednesday that the issue should be pursued as quickly as possible. This being the Church of England, however, that will not be particularly quickly. The synod, on Williams's recommendation, voted against meeting formally in February, so will next hold a gathering in July. But, barring an unlikely intervention by the Group of Six – representatives of all three houses of synod – the issue will be off the agenda anyway until 2015. Those lobbying for female bishops have said they will push for a new and more uncompromising single-clause measure that does not feature provisions for their opponents. To do this they would need to rescind the Act of Synod 1993, and shoot down its famous "flying bishops" – which could be easier than passing Tuesday's measure, because it would only require a simple majority. In the words of one campaigner: "The gloves are now off." |
| Was the laity representative? | Was the laity representative? |
| No. Judging by responses given earlier this year to the measure by the church's 44 dioceses, campaigners would have had every reason to be optimistic about grassroots support. In all, 42 dioceses gave the legislation the thumbs-up, and those that didn't – London and Chichester – only failed to by a narrow margin. But they always knew the house of laity would be a problem. A grouping of more than 200 laypeople, the house has become markedly more conservative in the 20 years since the synod voted to ordain female priests. A key task of the pro-female-bishop campaigners will now be to learn from the political zeal of their traditionalist opponents and get their people in the house at the next elections, due in 2015. | No. Judging by responses given earlier this year to the measure by the church's 44 dioceses, campaigners would have had every reason to be optimistic about grassroots support. In all, 42 dioceses gave the legislation the thumbs-up, and those that didn't – London and Chichester – only failed to by a narrow margin. But they always knew the house of laity would be a problem. A grouping of more than 200 laypeople, the house has become markedly more conservative in the 20 years since the synod voted to ordain female priests. A key task of the pro-female-bishop campaigners will now be to learn from the political zeal of their traditionalist opponents and get their people in the house at the next elections, due in 2015. |
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