The Church of England has announced the appointment of Bishop Debbie Sellin as the next Bishop of Peterborough, marking a significant step forward for gender equality within its leadership. Despite progress, the Church still faces challenges in promoting women to senior roles, with only 7 out of 42 diocesan bishops being female. The secretive and unbalanced appointment process, where traditionalist members may block female candidates, hinders further progress. As many clergy and laypeople push for greater equality, this issue highlights ongoing governance concerns within the Church.

It should go without saying that all schools in this country want to teach children that all people are equal and should have equal opportunity. And it is important that schools should do this, as young people may be picking up other messages in society, in their home lives and from religious leaders...

Suppose you are a senior leader of a major institution in the UK, two thirds of whose customers are female, and you are asked to set a gender diversity target for all the paid posts in your institution. You would probably come up with a figure of 50% for women or even more...

Acting according to theological conscience is the calling of all Christians and must be respected. But I can’t help suspecting that the phrase ‘in conscience’ (just like its cousin ‘for the sake of unity’) is being used more and more in Church of England circles to legitimise bigotry. And, when we hear it, alarm bells should ring...

Surprise, surprise – there actually is dissension in Blackburn about the Church’s proposed appointment of a bishop who does not ordain women and did not vote in favour of General Synod’s recent decision to allow the blessing of same sex couples...

April Alexander highlights that the Church of England's struggle with discrimination against gay priests began in 1987, not a decade ago as some imply. The General Synod's debates, starting with Tony Higton's motion condemning homosexuality, led to decades of exclusion, especially through the Issues in Human Sexuality document, which has no clear record of official adoption by the Synod. Despite progress, the Church's relationship with Parliament remains complex, with parallels drawn between past provisions for women priests and the current push for same-sex marriage, both of which have deepened divisions within the Church.

At Christmas parties this year, the chances are that someone will start talking to you about the dire national census results for the Church of England, which show that less than 50% of people in the UK now identify as Christians. If, like me, you are ‘in the Church’ in some capacity – perhaps a minister or a Churchwarden – they’ll want your take on it...

April Alexander welcomed the Bishop of Oxford's proposals on same-sex relationships, praising the call for "freedom of conscience" for clergy and ordinands, which moves beyond the outdated Issues in Human Sexuality document. While hopeful about these steps, she expressed concern over proposals that accommodate opposition to same-sex marriage, fearing they could perpetuate discrimination, much like the provisions for those opposed to women's ordination. Alexander urged the Church to align with the Equality Act and avoid creating further divisions while embracing inclusivity.

Martine Oborne reflects on her journey from a successful career in investment banking to becoming a vicar in the Church of England. Despite the strides made for women's ordination, she highlights the continued discrimination within the Church, where legal provisions still allow parishes to reject women as priests or bishops. As Chair of WATCH (Women and the Church), she advocates for full equality and hopes the Church will eventually align with modern anti-discrimination laws and truly value the contributions of women.