THE package of proposals produced by the Steering Committee that
was given the task of preparing fresh women-bishops legislation
represented a "new and hopeful phase", the Secretary General of the
General Synod, William Fittall, said last Friday.
The package was presented to journalists at a briefing at Church
House. In a press release issued at the same time, the Archbishops
of Canterbury and York wrote: "It is significant that the 15
members of the Steering Committee . . . who represent the widest
possible range of opinion on the matter, have been able to reach
substantial agreement on a package of proposals to put to General
Synod in November."
The package comprises a draft Measure and Amending Canon, a
draft House of Bishops' declaration, and draft regulations
establishing a procedure for resolving disputes. It is accompanied
by a report from the Steering Committee, which was appointed in
July, and includes five members who voted against the most recent
Measure on women bishops (News, 26 July).
The report notes that two of the 15 members, the Revd Paul
Benfield and Susie Leafe, decided to record abstentions when the
other 13 voted to commend the package to the General Synod and the
House of Bishops. This was because the Committee had been
restricted, by a motion passed by General Synod in July, to drawing
up legislation based on "Option One" of the report from the House
of Bishops on new legislative proposals (News, 5
July).
Nevertheless, the Committee's report states: "We all agree that
the balanced package . . . gives full and effective expression to
that motion. And the belief of those of us who commend this package
is that, in all the circumstances, it now offers the best way
forward for the Church of England in its ministry and mission and a
possibility of securing an early resolution of this unfinished
business."
Among the 13 who commended the report are three members who
voted against the most recent Measure on women bishops: the Bishop
of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, the chairman of the House of
Laity, Dr Philip Giddings, and Prebendary Rod Thomas, the chairman
of the conservative Evangelical network Reform.
The draft Measure consists of four clauses and a single
schedule; whereas the Measure that fell in November 2012 ran to 12
clauses and four schedules. It makes no changes to the structures
of the Church of England, and leaves unaltered the position of each
diocesan bishop as Ordinary.
It also preserves the historic requirement for canonical
obedience to the diocesan bishop. The report notes that taking this
oath "does not mean agreeing to obey the bishop whatever he or she
may purport to instruct the clergy to do. Nor does it entail acting
contrary to theological conviction."
The second clause contains an amendment to the Equality Act
2010, which makes it clear that the office of bishop is not a
"public office" as defined in the Act. The report states that the
Steering Committee had secured "some reassurance" about the risk of
cases being brought against PCCs under the Equality Act, although
"nothing can entirely eliminate the possibility of legal
challenge".
The report also states, however, that: "We believe that diocesan
bishops should accept the responsibility to act as the protector of
the interests of the parish in the light of any resolution it has
passed."
An Amending Canon provides for the admission of women to the
episcopate. It also, the report explains, imposes a duty on the
House of Bishops "to make regulations prescribing a procedure for
the resolution of disputes arising from the arrangements for which
the proposed House of Bishops' declaration makes provision".
Finally, the Amending Canon states that the House of Bishops would
need to secure a two-thirds majority in all three Houses of Synod
in order to amend the regulations set out in the declaration.
The report states that both the Bishops' declaration and the
grievance procedure should be agreed before the Measure and Canon
are brought to the Synod for final approval.
A draft Bishops' declaration is set out in the Committee's
report. It begins with the five principles commended by the House
of Bishops in May in its report on the new legislative proposals
(News, 24
May).
Running to 40 paragraphs, the draft declaration speaks of the
importance of "simplicity, reciprocity and mutuality". It states
that "reciprocity will mean that those of differing conviction will
do all within their power to avoid giving offence to each
other."
It sets out arrangements for parishes where the theological
convictions of the PCC lead them to seek the ministry of men.
The declaration addresses the question of "supply". It states
that the sees of the Provincial Episcopal Visitors will continue to
exist, and that the House of Bishops "accepts that the presence in
the College of Bishops of at least one bishop who takes the
Conservative Evangelical view on headship is important for
sustaining the necessary climate of trust."
Also set out in the report is a suggested procedure for the
resolution of disputes. The Committee recommends an ombudsman
scheme, whereby an "independent reviewer" is appointed by the
Archbishops, with the agreement of the chairs of the Houses of
Laity and of Clergy, to hear grievances brought by PCCs. The report
warns that: "Any failure on the part of bishops and other clergy to
participate in the procedure would lay the person concerned open to
a complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003."
The independent reviewer would have no powers to impose
penalties, but a critical report would have "a significant impact",
the report argues. Although grievances would be brought only by
PCCs, it is proposed that anyone should be able to register
concerns with the independent reviewer about the operation of the
Bishops' declaration.
On Friday, the Archbishops commended the Steering Committee's
proposals.
At the General Synod meeting in London later this month, the
Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Revd James Langstaff, who chairs the
Steering Committee, will make a short presentation on the evening
of Monday 18 November. On Tuesday morning, Synod members will meet
in small groups to discuss the package privately. On Wednesday,
Bishop Langstaff will move a motion welcoming the package of
proposals and inviting the House of Bishops to bring to the Synod
in February a draft declaration and proposals, for a
disputes-resolution procedure.
The Synod will then give first consideration to the draft
Measure and Amending Canon. Rather than propose that the draft
legislation be referred for revision by a Revision Committee, the
Steering Committee will move that the legislation be "considered
for revision in full Synod".
The report by the Steering Committee envisages that it may still
be possible for the legislation to go to final approval during
2014.
On Friday, Mr Fittall said of the package: "This is the first
time since the discussion of women bishops started in 2000 that a
complete package has been agreed by people with such a wide range
of views."
'I cannot share his hopefulness'
CONSERVATIVE Evangelicals are unlikely to vote in favour
of the package put forward by the Steering Committee, the director
of Reform, Susie Leafe, suggested this week, writes
Madeleine Davies.
Mrs Leafe was one of two members of the committee who
abstained from voting to commend the package to Synod. On Tuesday,
she said: "The Steering Group were under no illusions that I or
others who voted against the Measure in November could or would
vote in favour of this package." Mr Fittall was "well aware that
without a jurisdictional solution I cannot share his
hopefulness".
The committee was given the task of preparing a package
based on "Option One" of the report from the House of Bishops on
new legislative proposals. "We had to participate in the
discussions knowing that this was, and always was going to be, an
unacceptable way forward," Mrs Leafe said. "Removing issues of
jurisdiction from the discussion meant that an outcome that truly
satisfied the needs of conservative Evangelicals was not
possible."
She was "encouraged that throughout this package
self-sacrificial male headship has been recognised as an authentic
expression of Anglican theology". Nevertheless, "throughout the
various debates, it has become very clear that there is little
understanding of self-sacrificial headship theology."
The other member of the Steering Committee who abstained
from the vote, the Revd Paul Benfield, Vicar of St Nicholas's,
Fleetwood, and a member of Forward in Faith, said on Monday: "I
feel that, within the constraints we were given, what we have done
is good. If I had not been happy with that, I would have voted
against it. While I could not quite commend it, I am not saying it
is bad."
In July, Fr Benfield proposed that "provision made for
those who cannot receive the ministry of female priests or bishops
should be made by Measure or regulations under Canon" (News, 12 July),
and on Monday he said that he had "felt that it was the mind of
Synod that we should be able to look at a much broader package than
Option One".
He reported, however, that he had been "pleasantly
pleased" with what had been done. There had been a "very good
atmosphere", and he felt hopeful.
A statement issued by Forward in Faith last Friday said
that the House of Bishops' declaration, and mandatory disputes
resolution procedure, "represents a new and different approach
which deserves careful consideration". It would be "examining the
proposals closely over the coming weeks to see how far they would
ensure that our parishes and their clergy and people have continued
access to a ministry that will make it possible for us to flourish
within the life and structures of the Church of
England".
The Chairman of the Catholic Group in General Synod,
Canon Simon Killwick, said: "Naturally, such a complex package will
need careful study and prayer by all rather than instant responses,
and we will comment further in due course. However, as important as
the detail of the proposals themselves will be the spirit in which
they are received and taken forward - a spirit of reconciliation
and trust, which we believe has been growing this year, by the
grace of God; it is in that light that we shall study
them."
On Saturday, a vice-chair of WATCH, Canon Anne Stevens,
said: "It's good to see draft legislation that is so clear and
concise, and we look forward to a day of great national rejoicing
when women are finally made bishops. We're grateful to the Steering
Committee for all their hard work on the Bishops' Declaration,
which offers people on all sides of the debate a new opportunity to
move forward in a spirit of trust and openness to one
another."
On Friday, during the second reading of the Equality
(Titles) Bill in the House of Lords, the Bishop of Guildford, the
Rt Revd Christopher Hill, amused members by suggesting that he was
"sorely tempted to slip in an amendment to the effect that women
bishops could be ordained in the Church of England".
Remainder of
Synod agenda
Leader comment