Posted on 05/26/2013 2:09:39 PM PDT by marshmallow
(Reuters) - The Church of England published a plan on Friday to approve the ordination of women bishops by 2015, a widely supported reform it just missed passing last November after two decades of divisive debate.
It said the new plan, outlined in a document signed by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York John Sentamu, would be presented to the General Synod, the Church legislature, in July to begin the approval process.
The proposal would make allowances for traditionalists who oppose women clergy, a minority that blocked the reform at the last Synod meeting, but each diocese will have to have a bishop willing to ordain women to the priesthood, it said.
The issue pits reformers, keen to project a more modern and egalitarian image of the church as it struggles with falling congregations in many increasingly secular countries, against a minority of conservatives who see the change as contradicting the Bible.
"We are perhaps at a moment when the only way forward is one which makes it difficult for anyone to claim outright victory," said Bishop Nigel Stock, chairman of the working group drawing up new proposals after the reform's defeat last November.
"The Church of England should retain its defining characteristic of being a broad Church, capable of accommodating a wide range of theological conviction," he said in a statement.
The mother church to the world's 80 million Anglicans was thrown into turmoil when the reform won 73 percent support but failed because it fell four votes short in the House of Laity.
Legislation needs a two-thirds majority in the Synod's houses of bishops, clergy and laity to pass. Because of the legislative process, Synod members had said it would take five years before the reform could come up for another vote.
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.reuters.com ...
Another mass exodus from the Anglican church will be forthcoming when they try to ram this down everyone’s throats.
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,”
1 Timothy 3:2
What will happen is that all the ‘traditionalists’ will have a woman bishop. Guarantee it. Especially since the traditionalists managed to scuttle the earlier deal. Payback.
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
Women clergy are un-Biblical. ‘Nuff said.
So, bishops can marry?
Looks like the Church of Rome will be expanding in Britton once again.
Why would the COE traditionalists want to remain in a religion that intentionally disregards 1 Timothy 2:12-
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20timothy%202:12&version=NASB
Agreed.
So is homosexual activity, but the Anglicans embrace all manor of sin these days.
I’m sure that will be a logical and natural consequence.
Well, the Church of England was started by Henry VIII. He murdered Catholics, even though he himself really never left the religion, except on paper to marry a woman whom he later put to death under false charges, lies.
He put many many to death. Yet, he was the head of this Church. How can anyone believe it ever had God’s blessing.
It didn’t, and obviously by these moves it has no chance of it.
Earning the wages of sin...and working overtime at it.
i guess they are stuck with only lesbian bishops.
they are a lost cause because of their leadership. individuals, no. as a church body, yes.
No way!
An ELCA church (the arch-liberal Lutheran synod) a few blocks from me tried a women minister a few years back. After a huge exodus of members plus ALL the ushers, LOL, a male pastor got the call....and though he's another pinko at least the departures were stemmed.
It was a wealthy church....I'll bet the donations went way down, also.
Church-ez la femme....as they say in France.
Leni
What us this fixation the Church of England has with genitals?
You’re asking me? I was one of them. I left long ago.
Its the Church of England now, which one will be next?
Rev 18
4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.