24 October 2009

WATCH has prepared this briefing paper covering the Press Release from the Revision Committee on 8 October and the Pope's statement and invitation of 20 October. Please click here to download.
Please look at the final section on What Next, What WATCH is doing, and What you can do.

The current situation

Currently, whilst women can be ordained as priests, they are specifically barred from the higher office of bishop. To change this will require a two-thirds majority vote in all three houses of the Church of England's General Synod, which must then be ratified by the Houses of Parliament.
 

Simple legislation with guidelines

WATCH is campaigning for ‘simple legislation’ to remove obstacles to the consecration of women bishops. That is, a legal act with no caveats or conditions limiting the ministry of women bishops or allowing those opposed to opt out of their jurisdiction. Such a situation of caveats and conditions currently exists in relation to women priests through the “Act of Synod”, an internal Church of England law which allows parishes to opt out of being ministered to by a woman, and to seek oversight from a bishop who does not himself ordain women. WATCH proposes that instead of legislating similar limits to women's episcopal ministry, simple legislation for women bishops should be accompanied by a set of guidelines governing how different views on the issue of women's ministry are to be accommodated and respected within dioceses. The United States of America already models this approach, where women bishops work closely with male colleagues to appropriately minister to congregations who in conscience cannot accept their episcopal role.

For a full treatment of these issues, plus WATCH's proposals for how women bishops should be introduced, please see:
WATCH Submission to Legislative Drafting Group - March 2009

What next?
We are now in a period of waiting while the Revision Committee meet to decide on the legislation to be brought before the General Synod in its February 2010 session. Please see our News page for more details.