“In its discussions the Council decided that a process to admit women to the episcopate needed to be restarted at the next meeting of the General Synod in July 2013. There was agreement that the Church of England had to resolve this matter through its own processes as a matter of urgency. The Council therefore recommended that the House of Bishops, during its meeting in a fortnight’s time, put in place a clear process for discussions in the New Year with a view to bringing legislative proposals before the Synod in July.”
“There was agreement that the Church of England had to resolve this matter through its own processes as a matter of urgency.”
Let me correct that for you: There was agreement that the Church of England had to resolve this matter IN FAVOUR of women bishops through its own processes as a matter of urgency. The Holy Spirit obviously erred in this Synod immediately past and restitution to zeitgeist norms MUST proceed.
I suppose there are two real possible outcomes – either they give the traditionalists enough room to continue to run their own churches, or they do not.
Reform and Catholic Group have let it be known that ABC has agreed to dialogue with them. Will their chairmen (Thomas and Killiwick) drive a hard bargain? I guess that depends on what their plan B is if insufficient concessions are offered. They haven’t said, directly. But if it does involve establishing separate structures (i.e. commencing the process of withdrawal from CofE) then they will be empowered to draw a line in the sand during their negotiations with the Archbishops’ Council, perhaps something like this – ‘Accept our demands, or we will continue to oppose. If you want to walk away, fine, let’s go to a vote which we will oppose like we did last time. If you lose again, then no women bishops for five years which means we are fine. But if you win that vote, then we are on our way out and you can pay your own bills’.