Off the Wall 4/2/15
History was made in York Minster, the cathedral of York,
England, one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe last Monday
(26/1/15), when Church of England consecrated the Right Reverend
Libby Lane as the bishop of Stockport.
According to the
Guardian newspaper, women have been consecrated as bishops in many parts of
the worldwide Anglican communion since 1989, and as priests in England since
1994, but opponents put up a long resistance to their further promotion, which
only became possible last autumn. Roman Catholic bishops, who frequently attend
important Anglican occasions, were absent. The service marked a final and
decisive break with the tradition of an all-male priesthood.
Bishop Lane swore obedience to the queen, and to the
archbishop of York and their successors. She heard Jesus’s instructions to his
disciples from the gospel of Luke: “I am sending you out like lambs in the
midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the
road. Whatever house you enter, first say ‘peace to this house’ …”
The Guardian
reported that there was a protest when the congregation was asked to assent to
Bishop Lane’s consecration. As the congregation of nearly 2,000 people replied
“It is”, a man stepped forward near the altar and shouted: “No. Not in my name.
Not in the Bible. With respect, your grace, I ask to speak on this absolute
impediment, please.”
Dr Sentamu read out a pre-prepared statement and repeated
his question. There was no further interruption and the service continued. The
protester was later identified as the Rev Paul Williamson, who once tried to
charge an earlier archbishop of Canterbury with high treason for ordaining
female priests.
With a quiet rumble the bishops in scarlet and white rose
from their seats to gather round and lay hands on Lane and on each other in a
sign that she, like they, had a physical connection running back nearly 2,000
years to the disciples whom Jesus had touched. Sentamu anointed her with oil as
she knelt in front of the congregation. He gave her a Bible. The act was done.
History was made. The congregation burst into prolonged applause, led by the
archbishops, and she bowed her head at them.
The Rt. Rev. Lane, who is married to a male priest,
George, making them one of the Church's first clerical couples, was among the
first women to be ordained as a priest, in 1994. According to Christian Today, although not a
"name" outside the Church, she is highly rated within it and came to
the attention of senior bishops as one of eight clergy women elected as
observers to the House of Bishops.
When the announcement of her nomination was made, she
said: "I am grateful for, though somewhat daunted by, the confidence
placed in me by the Diocese of Chester. This is unexpected and very exciting.
On this historic day as the Church of England announces the first woman
nominated to be Bishop, I am very conscious of all those who have gone before
me, women and men, who for decades have looked forward to this moment. But most
of all I am thankful to God.
"The church faces wonderful opportunities, to
proclaim afresh, in this generation, the Good News of Jesus and to build His
Kingdom. The Church of England is called to serve all the people of this country,
and being present in every community, we communicate our faith best when our
lives build up the lives of others, especially the most vulnerable. I am
excited by the possibilities and challenges ahead."
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: "I
am absolutely delighted that Libby has been appointed to succeed Bishop Robert
Atwell as Bishop of Stockport. Her Christ-centred life, calmness and clear
determination to serve the church and the community make her a wonderful
choice.
Rev. Rosie Harper, chaplain to the Bishop of Buckingham
Alan Wilson, wrote on her Facebook wall: "It's happened. The CofE has it's
first woman bishop: The Rev Libby Lane, Dean of Women in Ministry, Chester
Diocese. Whew! All the very best to her - she'll be under the spotlight! Only
took 2,000 years. Roll on the time when other issues of equality are also
addressed."
However, while offering prayers and good wishes to Mrs
Lane, the General Synod's Catholic group said it regrets "the implications
for the wider unity of the worldwide Church." Dr Colin Podmore, chairman
of the traditionalist group Forward in Faith, wrote on the website of the
Bishop of Beverley, one of the "flying" bishops who looks after
parishes opposed to women's ordination: "Catholics believe that both women
and men are called to different ministries in the Church. But for theological
reasons, we are unable to receive the sacramental ministry of women as priests
(presiding at the Eucharist) or bishops (ordaining priests to preside at the
Eucharist).
Christian Today
reports that Bishop Lane's consecration marks the end of a long and hard
process of theological and procedural negotiation which has left unresolved
divisions in the church. Disputes since the General Synod agreed in 2005 that
"the process for removing the legal obstacles to the ordination of women
to the episcopate should now be set in train" have focused on
accommodating the beliefs of members of the Church of England would not accept
the episcopal ministry of women. There was widespread anger when a 2012 attempt
to pass the legislation at the Synod narrowly failed.
Roman Catholic Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham,
said on Vactican Radio last week that the Catholic Church will be keeping its
ban on allowing women to serve as priests. Archbishop Longley, who is also the
Catholic co-chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, told
the Vatican Radio that while "the conversation about women's ministry
continues in parts of the Catholic Church, this development is unlikely to
bring about changes in the Catholic teaching on the sacrament of
ordination."
The Anglican Diocese of Polynesia, while ordaining women
priests, some of whom hold senior positions in the Diocese is yet to appoint a
woman bishop. The Methodist Church in Fiji ordains women ministers and has for
some time now had a woman Divisional Superintendent, its equivalent of bishop,
in Rev. Kelera Wesele who has served as Divisional Superintendent of the
Vatulele Division and is the new Divisional Superintendent of the Vatukarasa
Division.
I have benefitted from the wisdom and support of my big
sisters in ministry – both clergy and deaconesses and sisters, in my own
spiritual and ministerial formation. I was honoured to candidate for the
ministry and be ordained alongside the largest number of women ministers in the
Methodist Church’s history. However the challenges that my sisters face in a
patriarchal society, are much greater than I do as an ethnic minority in our
community.
While some faith communities have a doctrinal and
traditional stand on this issue which - like the Church of England – mean a
long and slow process of discernment, there are times when the Bible is simply proof-texted
for passages of scripture to cement prejudice rather than share “good news” of
love, forgiveness, freedom from oppression and empowerment for all God’s
children.
Well, perhaps that’s the challenge of living in a
multi-ethnic, multi-faith, multi-denominational and multi-cultural society.
“Simplicity, Serenity, Spontaneity”
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