WATCH: the story so far…

Women and the church: the ‘hidden gallery’.

Maude Royden, Elsie Chamberlain, Isabella Gilmore, Betty Ridley, Una Kroll, Christian Howard, Monica Furlong, Joyce Bennett, Florence Li Tim-Oi, Constance Coltman, Margaret Webster…heard of them? Probably not – all were icons in the campaign to get women ordained, but as with most women’s lives, they are in the ‘hidden gallery’ of history. But Elsie Chamberlain was the first female full chaplain in the RAF. Una Kroll famously shouted, ‘We asked for bread and you gave us a stone’ (a reference to Matthew 7:7-11) when in 1978 the General Synod refused to allow women to be ordained, creating the momentum for the Movement for the Ordination of Women to be formed. Florence Li Tim-Oi was the first female Anglican priest, ordained during the war to serve behind Japanese lines in China. And so on…

So it was with women in the church: in a majority, but mostly hidden in the background, with children’s work, making tea, cleaning, in the office, caring for neighbours, letting the vicar know when someone needs a visit. However, since 1994, things have changed.

Want to know more about our celebrated women? Their stories can be downloaded as pdf files here:
Maude Royden | Isabella Gilmore | Dame Betty Ridley | Florence Li Tim-Oi | Joyce Bennett | Constance Coltman | Daphne Fraser | Dame Christian Howard

1994: Women are ordained as priests – London WATCH is formed.

In 1994, after 50 years of active campaigning, 1500 women were at last ordained as priests in the Church of England. In most places they were welcomed with excitement and joy, but in some places (particularly London) they were received with resistance, anger and exclusion. London WATCH was formed to monitor incidents of discrimination and to support female clergy, some of whom continue to be on the receiving end of revulsion and spite from their male colleagues. Direct and indirect discrimination against women continues, and the Church of England has dispensation from Sex Discrimination Laws.

WATCH goes national: 1996

In 1996 national WATCH was formed as a forum for promoting women’s ministry in the Church of England, and also to provide a national network and support group for women priests and all who are working for an inclusive church. Our priorities are:
• the appointment of women at all levels in the Church (particularly as bishops)
• honesty and openness in all appointments
• support for women in lay and ordained ministries, and for all those who suffer because of their advocacy of women's ministries.

In the last 12 years

WATCH has been doing the groundwork to prepare the Church for the time when it will have women as bishops. We have monitored and encouraged the appointment of women to increasingly senior positions, including those of archdeacon and dean. We have produced educational and campaigning material on the key issues, including a training pack which can be used for supporters at diocesan and deanery levels. We have challenged both the deliberate and the unconscious ways in which women are denied an equal place in the Church, whether that is at a local or national level.

In July 2005 the General Synod voted overwhelmingly to remove the legal barriers to women bishops. One year later, in July 2006, the General Synod made the momentous decision that having women as bishops was ‘consonant with the faith of the Church’. Again, in July 2008, the General Synod debated a motion from the House of Bishops calling for draft legislation opening the episcopate to women to be prepared along with a draft Code of Practice containing arrangements for those who remain opposed to women priests and bishops.

The Legislative Drafting Group completed this further stage of their work and their report and draft legislation was published on 29 December 2008. The General Synod in February 2009 then debated this draft legislation and code of practice. The vote taken commended the draft legislation to the Revision Committee for further work. Amendments had to be sent in by 16 March 2009 and the Revision Committee is now considering these amendments. They will bring their revised draft legislation back to General Synod. It is expected to be presented at the General Synod in February 2010. It then has to be approved by the General Synod before it is sent to the dioceses for debate. At least two-thirds of the dioceses must approve the draft legislation before it comes back to General Synod for final approval. It is expected that final approval will take place in 2011 or 2012.