LEGISLATION to fast-track women into the House of Lords may be
introduced after the Christmas recess, the Archbishop of
Canterbury told members of the General Synod. In response
to a question from Adrian Greenwood (Southwark),
Archbishop Welby said that the proposed legislation had been
"discussed with representatives of the three largest parties, who
have indicated that they are in principle in favour".
APPARENT leaks about who may or may not have been under
consideration by the Crown Nominations Commission were criticised
by the Archbishop of Canterbury, in answer to a
question from the Revd Dr Jo Spreadbury (St
Albans).
"It is so damaging when reports appear in the press purporting
to give inside information and naming an individual. The harm is
done whether these are true, false, or wholly speculative. It is
unkind, hurtful, and unjust to the person concerned, and they
simply should not happen," the Archbishop said.
THE Archbishops have "concluded that it would be premature to
come to a settled view" about whether the Anglican Church in North
America (ACNA) should be given formal recognition by the Church of
England, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd
Christopher Cocksworth, who chairs the Faith and Order Commission,
said. Answering questions from Dr William Belcher
(Gloucester) and Susie Leafe (Truro), he said that
the Commission had carried out "some preliminary and exploratory
work" in 2010-12; as well as "specific work . . . regarding
possible recognition and acceptance of the orders" of ACNA.
THE Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Revd James Langstaff,
revealed that "a proposal . . . has now entered the necessary
formal decision-making processes", when asked about progress on
appointing a bishop holding to a conservative complementarian view
of headship. "It would not be helpful to go into the detail
publicly, just at the moment, while those processes are engaged,"
he said in reply to a question from Dr William
Belcher (Gloucester). "I can give an assurance that what
are referred to [in the question] as 'apparent ongoing delays' are,
as of now, apparent rather than real."
The Revd Professor Richard Burridge (University
of London) said that this view of headship was not Anglican
theology but something that emanated from the Southern Baptists in
the United States. He questioned what steps would be taken to
ensure that the person appointed to this position held beliefs
consistent with scripture and Anglican ecclesiology.