A Code of Practice which means that a woman bishop would delegate her authority to a male bishop (for pastoral and sacramental care) for parishes which cannot accept her authority does mean that the parish concerned would have to recognise the apostolic authority of the female bishop in order to make this request. That’s what some of the opponents find so difficult. That’s also why our Archbishops proposed an amendment which suggested co-ordinate jurisdiction deriving from the Measure itself. It would not have impaired the jurisdiction of the female bishop but required her (and male bishops too) to work with an episcopal colleague in order to provide pastoral and sacramental care for every parish within any diocese. It was this amendment which was carried by majorities in the House of Bishops and House of Laity but fell by five votes in the House of Clergy.
The Archbishops made it clear that it was not a test of loyalty to them but a way of so re-shaping the Code of Practice to make it something which could work for everyone without any losers. I voted for it and regret that it failed so narrowly to receive the Synod’s approval.
However, the House of Bishops is intending to get on with the work of drawing up the Code of Practice with some urgency. One of the difficulties is that we do not have a Code of Practice to work with yet which is why so many people were in the dark about the Archbishops’ intentions or what the consequences would be of what they had suggested at what seemed like the last minute (though this was inevitable).
I hear lots of “don’t do anything” because we’re not finished yet. But the Bishop will surely be saying the same when the final vote [i]is[/i] taken, and when the legislation passes in Parliament, and when the first women bishop is appointed, and when she is consecrated…
Bishop, please, please, please, please stop telling people what to do and just listen.
One senses panic now that the deed is done. This is the difficult time and they know we teeter on the edge. If they can just hold onto us……in time we will cave in.
Look at how Sentemu claims he could not remain in any church that did not make space for us but also voted against compensation! And ABC says he will help us but also urges synod to push ahead in same breath and that voting against him is not treachery….
My message to all bishops…..I have been watching your hands more than your mouths for a very long time and little has been done to help us. Actions speak louder than words.
Put another way we are always told it is never over……but nothing EVER seems to come our way. It is delay and false promise from where I stand
3, simply look at TEC to see the future. They don’t want you to leave, but staying has to be on their terms. Over time you really have only two options: Stay on their terms or leave. You have my sympathy and prayers.
Make no mistake, the lack of structural protection is nothing less than excommunication, despite all the protestation otherwise. What a poor witness for all to see!
What is offered in place of protection? An invitation to hope that the proponents – demonstrably unburdened by care for their fellow church members – might undertake something unspecified at unspecified time in the future.
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Unfortunately the Orthodox abrogated their responsibilty to drive away those holding strange doctrines – Judgement brings clarity. Welcome to Babylon.
Time to swim, my brothers. Both rivers are wide, but the water is warm and there is rest on the other side.
revisionist progress an inch at a time is nothing new…………. but no point swimming anywhere just as, if not more, corrupt…..theologically, that is
I’m not faced with the dilemma of the orthodox in CoE.
Granted no church is without error. However, the CoE appears bent on the eradication of catholicity, if not also apostilicity, with no structural protection for the orthodox. When a catholic branch strays without restraint, then I must admit that the remaining, more restrained branches can become appealling to some of the more catholic minded.
Of course, the more reformed members may not see the appeal, and may at some point be de-churched to a different reformed community.
There are many different sorts of excommunicated victims of reappraisers in their pursuit of inclusivism.
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