The Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf will now be able to ordain women as priests, appointing them to serve in churches in the region, and one of the first could be in Cyprus.
The announcement was made at the annual Synod of the diocese in Larnaca last week, and was warmly welcomed by members. Rt Rev Michael Lewis, bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, reported that his request to have permission to ordain and appoint women had been granted by the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The other dioceses of the Province: Egypt, Iran and Jerusalem will not be affected by the change.
The first ordination of a woman priest is likely to take place in June, when the Rev Catherine Dawkins, currently serving as a deacon and assistant in the Yemen chaplaincy, will be ordained in Bahrain cathedral. The diocese has one woman training to be a priest.
And so [this] spreads. Really sorry to read this.
[Edited by Elf]
What a fine and charitable way to engage a point with which you disagree. [Edited by Elf]
[Commenters are requested to address issues and be careful to avoid ad hominem comments in accordance with T19 comment policy – Thanks – Elf]
It will be interesting to see how Dioceses engage in Provincial Synods – decision-making, resolution making, etc – with this change. What will it mean for things like clergy voting on a resolution in this particular context? Would the vote of a woman who is a priest or a bishop count as ‘valid’ for the rest of the Province? The default in Communion practice would seem to indicate that the vote of a woman who is bishop is counted even where her orders are not considered valid (Lambeth for example). I am very curious as to how this will play out in the Province’s councils.
Most Anglicans don’t have women priests.
So it is a matter of real concern that ++Anis has granted permission to one of his dioceses to do this.