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[ENS] Panel of Reference tells Episcopal Church it should clarify stance on women's ordination


From "Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>
Date Mon, 8 Jan 2007 21:12:05 -0500

Episcopal News Service January 8, 2007

Panel of Reference tells Episcopal Church it should clarify stance on women's ordination

Wording of canon on availability of ordination process called 'ambiguous'

By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[ENS] The Anglican Communion's Panel of Reference (http://www.aco.org/commission/reference/index.cfm) has recommended that the Archbishop of Canterbury discuss with the Presiding Bishop the possibility of clarifying what it called the ambiguous wording of a 1997 amendment to the Episcopal Church's ordination canon "so as to ensure that the permissive nature of the ordination of women is maintained in any diocese."

"At the same time the apparent intention of the amendment to defend the interests of women candidates for postulancy, candidacy and ordination in a diocese that does not ordain women would be underscored," the panel's recommendation said.

The recommendations are part of a report

(http://www.aco.org/commission/reference/docs/Fort_Worth_final.pdf) issued by the panel sometime in December and posted on the Anglican Communion Office's website January 8. The panel's report is its response to a submission by the Diocese of Fort Worth (http://www.fwepiscopal.org) which states that the diocese and its bishop, Jack Iker, "are concerned that the action of the General Convention of ECUSA in passing Canons which makes women's ordination mandatory makes it impossible for the Diocese at some future date to receive confirmation of the election as their bishop of a man who disapproves of the ordination of women to the presbyterate and/or episcopate."

The diocese has put in place a procedure known as the Dallas Plan to provide women access to the ordination process and provide for parishes that want to call a woman priest.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said, in response to the report, that "We recognize that women do have access to ordination under the Dallas Plan at present, which seems to address the intent of the canon."

No timeframe has yet been set for consultation during which the Presiding Bishop and the Archbishop of Canterbury will take up further discussion of the issues at hand.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_81044_ENG_HTM.htm

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