This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/26/the-rev-joyce-bennett

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
The Rev Joyce Bennett obituary The Rev Joyce Bennett obituary
(2 days later)
Joyce Bennett, who has died aged 92, was a revolutionary figure in church circles. By all accounts an unassuming and modest woman, she was nevertheless the first English woman to be ordained as a priest in the Anglican communion. Her ordination came in Hong Kong – where she was principal of St Catharine’s girls’ school – in December 1971, nearly a quarter of a century before the Church of England followed where she had led and allowed women to officiate. While the church has appointed its first female bishops only within the past few months, about a third of all its clergy are now women.Joyce Bennett, who has died aged 92, was a revolutionary figure in church circles. By all accounts an unassuming and modest woman, she was nevertheless the first English woman to be ordained as a priest in the Anglican communion. Her ordination came in Hong Kong – where she was principal of St Catharine’s girls’ school – in December 1971, nearly a quarter of a century before the Church of England followed where she had led and allowed women to officiate. While the church has appointed its first female bishops only within the past few months, about a third of all its clergy are now women.
Bennett was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, the daughter of Frank Bennett, a butcher, and his wife, Mary, and went to Burlington school, Westminster (now Burlington Danes academy, west London). Second world war evacuation took her to Milham Ford school, Oxford, where she was head girl. The city was also the wartime home of Westfield College, University of London, where she gained a history degree. In 1949 she was selected by the evangelical Church Mission Society to go to Hong Kong, where English was widely spoken, because she feared, mistakenly she would not be able to master Chinese. Bennett was born in London, the daughter of Frank Bennett, a butcher, and his wife, Edie (nee Stevens), and went to Burlington school, Westminster (now Burlington Danes academy, west London). Second world war evacuation took her to Milham Ford school, Oxford, where she was head girl. The city was also the wartime home of Westfield College, University of London, where she gained a history degree. In 1949 she was selected by the evangelical Church Mission Society to go to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong was the first place in the world to ordain a woman as an Anglican priest, Florence Li Tim-Oi, in 1944 during the Japanese occupation, as an emergency measure because there were insufficient male clergy to minister to the local Chinese and European Christian congregations. But in the late 1960s there was again a need for clergy to conduct services and, importantly, to administer communion.Hong Kong was the first place in the world to ordain a woman as an Anglican priest, Florence Li Tim-Oi, in 1944 during the Japanese occupation, as an emergency measure because there were insufficient male clergy to minister to the local Chinese and European Christian congregations. But in the late 1960s there was again a need for clergy to conduct services and, importantly, to administer communion.
The then bishop, Gilbert Baker, petitioned the archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, for permission to ordain women, as the precedent had already been set once in his diocese. He was quietly allowed the move, which would continue to divide the Church of England back in Britain for the next 50 years.The then bishop, Gilbert Baker, petitioned the archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, for permission to ordain women, as the precedent had already been set once in his diocese. He was quietly allowed the move, which would continue to divide the Church of England back in Britain for the next 50 years.
Bennett’s first Hong Kong teaching post was at St Stephen’s girls’ college, and while there she was ordained a deacon – a permitted position for women – in 1962. Nine years later she was one of the first two women to be appointed to the clergy by Baker, along with the ethnic Chinese ordinand Jane Hwang. This enabled her to officiate at communion for the girls of her school. In 1968 she took up the education department’s invitation to found St Catharine’s.Bennett’s first Hong Kong teaching post was at St Stephen’s girls’ college, and while there she was ordained a deacon – a permitted position for women – in 1962. Nine years later she was one of the first two women to be appointed to the clergy by Baker, along with the ethnic Chinese ordinand Jane Hwang. This enabled her to officiate at communion for the girls of her school. In 1968 she took up the education department’s invitation to found St Catharine’s.
In Impressions of a Woman Priest, a chapter of a book arguing for women’s ordination in England called Women Priests? Yes – Now! (1975), Bennett wrote that her ordination had been overwhelmingly approved in the diocese of Hong Kong and Macao: “Our Chinese friends smile indulgently at the gasps of joy and delight of our overseas visitors who have unexpectedly found themselves at the clergy celebration to be receiving communion from the hands of a woman priest …In Impressions of a Woman Priest, a chapter of a book arguing for women’s ordination in England called Women Priests? Yes – Now! (1975), Bennett wrote that her ordination had been overwhelmingly approved in the diocese of Hong Kong and Macao: “Our Chinese friends smile indulgently at the gasps of joy and delight of our overseas visitors who have unexpectedly found themselves at the clergy celebration to be receiving communion from the hands of a woman priest …
“For the church not to treat women equally with men provides a poor witness to the 20th-century non Christian society, whether it is the communist society of China or the secular society of the west. The 20th-century observer is extremely critical of all hypocrisy … ever ready to attack the church for any inconsistency between the teaching of Jesus and the deeds of those who claim to be His followers.”“For the church not to treat women equally with men provides a poor witness to the 20th-century non Christian society, whether it is the communist society of China or the secular society of the west. The 20th-century observer is extremely critical of all hypocrisy … ever ready to attack the church for any inconsistency between the teaching of Jesus and the deeds of those who claim to be His followers.”
Nevertheless, on her return to Britain in 1983 – having five years earlier been appointed OBE – Bennett was not allowed to officiate, except to Soho’s expatriate Chinese Christian community, which worshipped in the crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields. This was a reluctant decision by the then bishop of London, Graham Leonard, a fierce opponent of women’s ordination. His permission was granted only on the condition that she did not preside at communion services, an injunction that the parish quietly ignored. Bennett’s fluency by then meant that she was able to preach to her congregation in both English and Chinese.Nevertheless, on her return to Britain in 1983 – having five years earlier been appointed OBE – Bennett was not allowed to officiate, except to Soho’s expatriate Chinese Christian community, which worshipped in the crypt at St Martin-in-the-Fields. This was a reluctant decision by the then bishop of London, Graham Leonard, a fierce opponent of women’s ordination. His permission was granted only on the condition that she did not preside at communion services, an injunction that the parish quietly ignored. Bennett’s fluency by then meant that she was able to preach to her congregation in both English and Chinese.
Once the Church of England ordained its first women in 1994, she was given a licence to officiate, and conducted services and led congregation classes until 2007.Once the Church of England ordained its first women in 1994, she was given a licence to officiate, and conducted services and led congregation classes until 2007.
Bennett, who was unmarried, is survived by an adopted daughter, Mary, her former pupil and nurse.Bennett, who was unmarried, is survived by an adopted daughter, Mary, her former pupil and nurse.
• Joyce Mary Bennett, priest, born 22 April 1923; died 11 July 2015• Joyce Mary Bennett, priest, born 22 April 1923; died 11 July 2015
• This article was amended on 28 July 2015. Joyce Bennett was born in London, not High Wycombe. Her mother’s name was not Mary, as originally stated; she was Edith Mary, known to her family as Edie.