As you know, I don’t usually
do rapid news flash posts, but I've just had news which has made this woman
priest very happy indeed. The Governing Body of the Church in Wales this afternoon voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ordination of women bishops. It was the amended Bill which was passed, with no constitutional changes now planned, but a code of practice
for those who will find it hard to accept this development.
Wales now joins Scotland and Ireland in having opened the way for women bishops, though none have yet been elected. But one day it will happen (hopefully in my lifetime) and I’m so glad that the possibility is now there in the Church I love and have served for many years.
Wonderful news for you and finally the recognition that should have happened so long ago. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bonnie. I'm so delighted for all the people, clergy and laity, who believe so strongly that this should happen. We're a long way behind Canada, but at last we're on the same path. :-)
DeleteWonderful news! Just what you need to boost you before your eye op - for the which all best wishes.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great? I'm grinning madly as I type. Thanks for the good wishes. The op will now be a week later than the provisional date. I was going to blog about it today but this is so much more important.
DeleteMinute I heard the news I thought of you and knew you'd be pleased! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd you were right! I'm over the moon and so pleased that the debate was deeply serious and responsible.
DeleteThis is great news!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it just! We're decades behind the US, but I'm thrilled we're following the trail you blazed.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteOh this is indeed a wonderful 'flash news' post! A commendable move, albeit likely to still have its hurdles. This is something that Vedanta has a long history of accepting - there are very nearly as many Swaminis (female "bishops/cardinals") as there are Swamis and this has been the case for centuries. You may find it interesting to know that the Senior Acharya in Europe is Swamini Umananda - a French lady who has held that position for many years now. May it come to the church sooner rather than later, as you say!
On the matter of eyes - am a bit off track - is that imminent? If so the very best of wishes and blessings to you! Hugs, YAM xx
There shouldn't really be any hurdles other than the code of practice which the bishops will now compile and bring for approval next year. I'm not expecting the first female bishop any time soon, not least because there aren't any vacancies likely for a while, but at last it is possible.
DeleteWhat you say about the tradition of female leadership is fascinating and something I was totally ignorant of. I foresee some time spent googling the subject. :-)
Yes, surgery is coming up in less than a fortnight if all goes well. Thanks for the good wishes. I'll be very glad when it's all over.
Hari Om
Deleteoh I should have thought to put a tag in for you to follow!
Here yo are!
It may be of interest also to Penelopepiscopal whose post today was about yoga! ...methinks the Lord is turning things over a bit &*> YAM xx
Thanks for that, Yam.
DeleteWonderful news - wouldn't it be wonderful if Wales actually appointed a woman bishop :) Blessings on my sisters in the Anglican communion
ReplyDeleteThanks, Catriona. It's marvellous news. As in Scotland and Ireland, I don't think there will be a woman bishop straight away, but it will come. What matters is getting the right person and one day that will be a woman.
DeleteFrom a brief photo-flash on the news it looks as if my long-standing friend Rev Rosemary Aldis was one of the 2 very powerful speakers in favour of the motion! Whoopee!! At last, common sense has prevailed against paternalism.
ReplyDeleteWhoopee indeed! Is Rosemary Aldis on GB? The two women who put forward the amendment which was finally carried were the Archdeacon of Cardiff, Peggy Jackson, and Canon Jenny Wigley, an old friend of mine, who taught me New Testament when I was training many years ago. I wish I could have heard the debate.....
DeleteWell done Wales, if a little late.
ReplyDeleteWales has a long history of being 'out of step' ecclesiastically, and politically, and in many other ways, with the rest of the UK.
In my (admittedly biased) opinion, usually correctly.
Let's hope they elect the first female bishop.
I'm glad you posted this, it saves me having to do so.
I hope all goes well with the eye op.
Blessings
Thanks, Ray.
DeleteYes, it took us two goes, as it did with the ordination of women to the priesthood. Still, better late than never. :-) What is so satisfying is the very large majorities in favour in the houses of clergy and laity and the unanimous vote in favour by the bishops. No squeaking past by a couple of votes this time, thank goodness. :-)
Surely the C of E will manage it next time too?
Progress is being made Perpetua. It will go down in History.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased for you and your church.
xxx val
Thanks, Val, it will indeed. Now that the principle has been accepted we just have to wait for the day a woman is actually elected bishop.
DeleteWell of course you know I am not religious but I am very much in favour of equal rights for women...so congratulations anyway xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ayak. I thought you would feel that way, as do so many other people outside the church. It's a good day. :-)
DeleteThat is just brilliant. C of E has to be next
ReplyDeleteBrilliant is exactly right. :-) One would hope that the C of E will follow suit and I gather that there are grounds for some optimism.
DeleteHow worthy of celebration! Apparently gender issues are still a problem in many churches, which is sad and confusing.
ReplyDeleteAnd we are celebrating here. :-) To be honest, I don't think it's just some churches which have problems with gender issues. In the wider world women are still very underrepresented in some spheres. But things are moving, even if slowly.....
DeleteI haven't yet heard this over here, but it is, indeed, good news.
ReplyDeleteWell, Wales is a very small country, so not big news elsewhere. Over here we're celebrating. :-)
DeleteGreat news - unless I am mistaken the first Woman Bishop in the world was Penny Jamieson in New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteit is indeed. I've just checked and Penny Jamieson was the first woman bishop in NZ, but the second in the world, a year after Barbara Harris in Massachusetts. That was 24 years ago, when the UK didn't even have women priests! We've been very slow here.....
DeleteFantastic news! Now it's the Church of England's turn.....
ReplyDeleteThat's what everyone's saying, MM. Surely it must come next time.
DeleteGood news indeed - Hopefully the Church of England will now see sense.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly. I know a lot of people in England have been very encouraged by this.
DeleteEven more reasons to want to move out west! Surely England can't hold out much longer... we'll keep praying.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that Wales is where I live and was ordained. I'm thrilled for the Church in Wales and devoutly hope the C of E will follow as soon as possible.
DeleteI immediately thought of you Perpetua, when I read this great news on the BBC News website early yesterday evening. It makes me very proud of the Church in which I was confirmed as an Anglican, & pleased that the positive vote took place in the University where I studied for my first degree.
ReplyDeleteFurther ammunition for all of us wanting this long-overdue change in the Church of England.
I thought you'd identify strongly with this news, Ricky. The Governing Body is much smaller now than when I was a member for the vote on women priests in 1996, but the TV coverage brought back many happy memories.
DeleteI just hope that Wales doesn't wait as long as Ireland before electing a woman bishop. They made the decision in 1990 but are still waiting for the first. Scotland voted in 2003 and again are still waiting. Hopefully England will finally have the courage to make the change.
But the Church of Ireland have finally elected their first female bishop today! http://ireland.anglican.org/news/4723 Let's hope Wales, Scotland & England follow!
DeleteIt's wonderful! I saw the news first on a church mailing list and immediately read the BBC item. Mind you, it's taken 23 years for Ireland actually to elect a woman after passing the legistaltion, so I'm not holding my breath.... :-)
DeleteLike Ayak, I'm not religious but do appreciate the importance of this decision...however late it may have been in coming. What's England's problem..(on second thoughts, don't answer that!)
ReplyDeleteAxxx
Thanks, Annie. I expect the great majority of people outside the church think this is a long-overdue decision. As for England's problem, I couldn't possibly comment.:-)
DeleteGreat news Perpetua, and I can understand how happy you are about this decision. I was surprised to read that this is not a universal position, especially as our local Anglican bishop in Australia is a woman. Well done, Wales!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patricia, it's very good news. Yes, Australia and other Anglican provinces around the world have led the way in this. Each province can decide for itself, which is why there is a difference of opinion and practice in different places.
DeleteWhat marvellous news! I'm feeling proud of my adopted country's church today.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the eye surgery m'dear x
Thanks, Annie. I'll be glad when it's done and dusted.
DeleteIt is marvellous, isn't it? The right decision and made after deep, careful and respectful debate.
Good. I am happy for your happiness! It does seem so logical that priests should be able to become bishops. Any other position makes a nonsense of Anglican church hierarchy. However, I know that the whole thing is painfully controversial, and I only hope that logic - and kindness - will prevail in England eventually...
ReplyDeleteThanks and I do agree with you that the logic of the decision is unarguable. I'm glad to say that when women were ordained priest in Wales, there was no mass exodus from the church and I'm hopeful that the same will be true this time. The Church in Wales is small. We are a family and somehow we manage to live together with love and mutual respect even when we disagree profoundly with each other. I do hope that the same will prove to be true in England.
DeleteI'd heard this on the radio, Perpetua, and thought of you, thinking how pleased you would be. It is very good news.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the news made it across the Atlantic, Penny. It is indeed wonderful news and I look forward to the day when the first woman bishop is actually elected. It may not be very soon, however, as there isn't likely to be a vacancy for a while, but it's good to know the possibility is there.
DeleteI'm pleased for you personally, Perpetua, and for the wider church in general since it paves the way for progress in the C. of E. However, change is not easy and remains painful for those who have deeply held views. Thankful that the decision that was made by the Governing Body of the Church in Wales was a majority vote in favour of the ordination of women bishops and other views were respected and a code of practice will support them. I see that your eye op will be in a couple of weeks so continue to think of you.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right, Linda. Change is never easy and some will find this particular one very painful. However I have faith that the Church in Wales will handle this as carefully and sensitively as it did the ordination of women to the priesthood, where we managed to remain friends, despite disagreeing.
DeleteThank you for the good wishes.
I was delighted to hear about this on the news! I hadn't realised they were voting on the issue again.
ReplyDeleteCome on England - our turn next!!
Great, isn't it, PolkaDot? Yes, it's a full five years since the first attempt to pass the Bill failed. Wales seems to need two goes at everything. :-) I do so hope that the C of E achieves success next time.
DeleteI thought of you immediately I heard. Wonderful news isn't it?? Now... let's hope the churches can get on an elect a woman bishop before too long!! My late father was very much in favour of women clergy so I was pleased a woman officiated at his funeral. Though some folk were less than impressed. But I think Dad would have approved.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sian. I'm really thrilled about it. I don't think there's likely to be a vacancy in our six dioceses anytime soon, but at least the possibility is now there when the time comes. It seems absolutely right that your father, who so approved of the idea of women clergy, had a woman to take his funeral.
DeleteI knew you'd be thrilled as soon as I heard this on the news Perpetua and thought of you straight away. You must be delighted for your fellow clergy in Wales. Excellent.
ReplyDeletePatricia x
I'm so pleased for them and for myself, thanks, Patricia. and also for all the laypeople who have been so supportive of women clergy over the years. Our present vicar is a woman and she's wonderful.
DeleteDear Perpetua, this is indeed wonderful news. Thrilling really. I wonder when the Roman church will make a move forward and permit women priests. That won't happen during my lifetime. Maybe we'll see married priests, but not women. But sometime it just has to happen or the Roman Church will crumble into obscurity.
ReplyDeleteA book you might enjoy because it so pictures the late 1960s and early '70s and show just how far women have come since then is "The Wednesday Sisters." The novel is by Meg Waite Clayton. It was published in 2009 and was a national bestseller here. I missed it back in 2009 but read it this past weekend and marveled at what we've lived through. Peace.
It's marvellous news, Dee, and I'm still so happy about it. I can remember a good friend of mine, then the local RC priest, once telling me that he believes Rome will one day have women priests, but first it has to get overt the hurdle of a married priesthood. No, you and I won't see it, but i do hope to live long enough to rejoice at the election of the first female bishop in Wales.
DeleteMany thanks for ther book recommendation. I'm off to check the library catalogue.....
It's absolutely thrilling news and I'm tempted to say 'about time', but then that might be considered 'churlish' and I wouldn't want to be that when it's a day for celebration! Come on, England, do the right thing! Really disheartening when the laity failed us in the Synod. A very black day...
ReplyDeleteIsn't it just! 'About time' isn't too far from the mark, since a Bill to allow the ordination of women bishops failed 5 years ago in Wales.
DeleteInterestingly, with both the legislation for women priests and for women bishops, it was the clergy vote which caused it to fail first time in Wales, while the laity were overwhelmingly in favour, whereas in England the laity vote was only just sufficient for the women priests Bill and, as we all know, insufficient for the women bishops Bill. I find that a fascinating difference.....