On Sunday 13th July 2014, the current Archbishop Of
Canterbury, Justin Welby, was very sanguine in a television interview
that this time he was confident that the Church Of England, (C of E)
would approve the creation of women Bishops in their Synod on the
morrow, Monday 14th July 2014. Oh, and he kind of hoped, (with a big
wide actor's soppy smile) that he would see a female Archbishop in his
lifetime. With the 'modern' dynamics of the male clergy, (and a few
women members) relating to the promotion of women to relatively senior
management in the C Of E, I can understand why the Archbishop reacted
as he did. Who would openly admit in an important television programme,
or, in any public forum that the odds for that happening, were weak.
It would be a totally undiplomatic admission, which could lead to all
sorts of uncontrolled internecine developments.
Welby is a
supporter of women's progression in his church family. The man has
inherited and is working with, what has been for others, a poisoned
chalice. Welby knows the subject is a potential minefield, which, to
his credit, in the short time he has been top dog in the kennel, he has
tackled and which, for now, he has managed to put the minefield under wraps.
On Monday 14th July 2014, it was announced, as Welby expected, that the C
Of E has agreed to the ordination of women Bishops. As I am not
conversant with the C Of E politics in any depth, I am not sure how
Archbishop Welby has managed to reverse the narrow negative vote
achieved two years ago in Synod on this same subject. Is the
achievement as historic for the C of E as it sounds? There are bound to
be terms and conditions - what might you call them...compromises -to
placate the patriarchy. It is tempting to get onto a feminine, (not
feminist) soap box about glass ceilings, about the beneficial role of
women in our society not being adequately represented in many areas of
life and in general, in the echelons of faiths in the world. To
paraphrase... "One small step for women, that's one giant leap forward for womankind..."
Posts
Remaining dry
5 days ago
