wfn.org | Australian Anglicans prepare to debate women in the episcopate

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2000-167
http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens

Australian Anglicans prepare to debate women in the episcopate

by James Solheim

     (ENS) Next summer the General Synod of the Church of Australia will debate 
a new canon, which could remove all the legal obstacles to the consecration 
of women as bishops. At its current synod meeting, the Diocese of Sydney 
confronted the issue and its potential divisiveness. 

     In a special presentation to the synod, Dr. Ann Young, deputy chair of the 
General Synod working group on women bishops, explained the process that 
produced the proposed canon. "The working group agreed that the church should 
debate firstly the central issue--Do we want bishops or not? If we do pass the 
canon, then General Synod may choose to annex a formal statement stating that 
people whose consciences are seared must not be discriminated against. Or it may 
decide to legislate to require bishops to provide alternative forms of oversight," 
she said. She said that the working group turned down a proposal for a geo
graphically separate diocese.

     Peter Jensen offered a motion that would call on representatives on General 
Synod to consider the "pastoral implications of such a development and the possible 
ways of meeting the needs of those who may be disaffiliated by such a move." 
Admitting that he is opposed to women as priests or bishops, Jensen said that 
the church must deal with the larger issue of how to maintain what he called "a 
semblance of unity."

     The Rev. Terry Dein agreed with Jensen, contending that the Anglican Church 
was moving into "pastorally very difficult times," and warned that lay people who 
feel their consciences would not allow them to recognize women bishops may leave 
the denomination.

     Justice Keith Mason said that the synod should endorse the idea of women
 bishops ministering to some parishes in the diocese. "The idea of unity being
 expressed is a little quaint coming from this diocese," he said. "If we are going
 to have flying bishops and flying parishes, why aren't we going to allow female 
bishops to minister to parishes in this diocese?"

     Synod resisted dealing with the substance of the issue bit finally did pass 
a motion that notes the proposal for possible consecration of women as bishops 
and points out the "potential for further division." It asked for a report on "the 
theological and pastoral implications of such a development and the possible 
ways of meeting the needs of those who may be disaffiliated from such 
a move."

--based on reports from Anglican Media--Sydney.