November 2011

Apologies for the peculiar type - the website seems to have had its own ideas!!

From the Vicarage

Dear all –

A few Saturdays ago I had the privilege of representing Hove Deanery at a special meeting of our Diocesan Synod. A Synod is a meeting of one of the bodies governing church affairs – from the Greek for “Assembly”. So we have, for example, Deanery Synods (just for the churches in Hove), Diocesan Synod (that’s for the whole of this Diocese) and General Synod, which covers the whole of the Church of England. I am one of four clergy Reps for the Hove Deanery.

This was an important single issue Synod: about whether women should be admitted to serve as Bishops in the Church of England. A draft Measure (piece of legislation for the church) had been put together over many months and meetings, involving much heartache and difficult compromises by a Group commissioned by General Synod and comprising people of all different views. The really tricky bit was whether sufficient provision had been made for those who cannot accept a woman as a Bishop: how they will be supported and what separate provision is made for them. We hadn’t been asked by General Synod to vote on whether we want Women Bishops per se, but Bishop John thought it was important that we did.

We voted by secret ballot on whether women should be Bishops at all in the morning more or less before we started, then we voted (again by secret ballot) on the main issue after a lengthy debate but BEFORE we heard the results of the first vote. The main Motion was whether we could support the draft Measure at it stands. There were then some ‘Following Motions’ which basically asked General Synod to think again about the provision made for those who cannot accept Women as Bishops and therefore want alternative arrangements.

This could have been a difficult day for many of us. For those, like me, who embody ‘the enemy’ for those who cannot accept the idea of women as priests, it could have been quite uncomfortable. For those who find women even as priests upsetting, then the idea of women as Bishops is even worse & they could have been very anxious.

What I want to report to you is how WELL the debate was handled, so that none of us DID feel uncomfortable. Bishop John set the tone for the day when he preached at the Communion Service with which we started. He asked us to make no noise when the votes were announced and said his hope was that the whole debate would be undertaken in a spirit of generosity, respect and love. I am pleased and proud to say that almost without exception this was indeed the case, and the Chair of the meeting added to Bishop John’s suggestion by asking us not to applaud any of the speakers, which really made a tremendous difference to the whole day. It was a discipline in itself (I wanted to applaud Bishop John’s sermon!), but it worked really well.

So yes, we spent the whole day on one single issue and it was a VERY tiring day, but it was conducted with courtesy, good humour and (for the most part) admirable clarity of debate. Knowing this Diocese as I think I now do, I was also amazed by the results of the voting. No, the Diocese did NOT endorse the Measure, but see for yourself just how close it was and in particular, note the results of the question about whether women should be Bishops at all, because this is very encouraging for those of us who hope for change.

Are you in favour of ordaining women as Bishops?

Yes – 86                 No – 62

Can you support the Measure as it now stands?

Yes – 67                 No – 78

On the two ‘Following Motions’, the vote was taken by a show of hands. Both Motions asking General Synod to think again about the provision for those opposed, were carried - one by 80 to 52 votes, and the other by 87 to 50 votes. This makes it very clear that, although a majority of our Diocesan Synod is in favour ultimately, of women being made Bishops, many people were not happy with what was being provided for those who are opposed to this idea.

Chichester is so far the only Diocese to have rejected the Motion (17 have voted in favour up to now), so it will go ahead in General Synod, but I think the point needed to be made on behalf of those who are unable to accept women’s leadership. Yes, I continue to deplore the lack of opportunities in this Diocese for women to gain positions of real responsibility unless they toe the Party Line. Yes it makes me weep to see women of great talent leaving this Diocese in order to obtain better posts. But this will change. We only have to wait. And I’m very happy with my own particular position of great responsibility and joy here on Shoreham Beach! Thank you for having me.

With best wishes - Gail