It's time to appoint Britain’s first woman bishop, says Canon Jane Hedges

Senior politicians are in favour of breaking up the all-male enclave of the 26 bishops in the House of Lords, the cleric tipped to become Britain’s first female Anglican bishop believes.

Canon Jane Hedges says that there is increasing discomfort at the highest levels of the Establishment that the power wielded in the Lords by bishops is entirely in the hands of men.

As Canon Steward at Westminster Abbey, she is in a position to know. She has access to the corridors of power and has met nearly everyone at the highest levels of the Establishment, from the Queen and the Prime Minister down.

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Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, * Culture-Watch, * International News & Commentary, Anglican Provinces, Church of England (CoE), CoE Bishops, England / UK, Religion & Culture

7 comments on “It's time to appoint Britain’s first woman bishop, says Canon Jane Hedges

  1. Katherine says:

    Hard to tell here whether the views expressed are Gledhill’s or Hedges’. The talk is all about power, but it is claimed that Hedges is not interested in power. I don’t see much about Christ and the Gospel.

  2. Calvin says:

    Katherine, you hit it before I did and its the most palpable aspect. My goodness just count all the times power is mentioned. Look at all the talk of the halls of power and the establishment. No talk of redemption, reconciliation, and new life in Christ. No talk of building up the Kingdom.

    Whatsmore is there is no talk of discernment. There is no talk of call to ministry, no talk of the Holy Spirit.

    Glad to know such a monumental decision is based on the discomfort of politicians who likely never darken the doors of empty CofE churches.

  3. rugbyplayingpriest says:

    So let me get this straight:
    The modern day successors of Herod & Pilate say it is right/
    But the succesor of Peter says it is wrong

    And synod in its infinite wisdom prefers to appease the former.

    Ok got it. The C of E – rapidly revealing itself as a State controlled compromise to the faith once delivered to the Apostles.

  4. Dilbertnomore says:

    I wonder if Canon Hedges might have anyone in mind for the job? This article reads a much like a CV for the position. Of course, we all know God calls bishops to that office, but then why would St. John Chrysostom have found it necessary to state that “the floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops”? Perhaps the lady doth seek advance too much.

  5. Pageantmaster Ù† says:

    I suppose the question for us is whether we wish to end up like TEC?

  6. rugbyplayingpriest says:

    Is it a venial sin that I feel my previous post was rather good?!
    http://www.sbarnabas.com

  7. Alice Linsley says:

    Fr. Ed, I think your post was very good!