THE Archbishop of York will not lay on hands at the consecration
of the Bishop-elect of Burnley, Fr Philip North CMP, in
February.
In a statement released on Thursday of last week, Dr Sentamu
said that he and certain other bishops would exercise "gracious
restraint" at the laying-on of hands during the Ordination
Prayer.
Furthermore, Dr Sentamu would not celebrate at the Liturgy of
Ordination and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Instead, he would
delegate these duties to another bishop, who is committed to the
"flourishing" of traditionalist Anglicans who oppose women bishops,
the statement said.
Dr Sentamu insisted that this break from normal procedure had
nothing to do with the so-called "theology of taint", and said that
it had been his suggestion, not Fr North's. Fr North, who was
previously Team Rector of Old St Pancras, London, is an
Anglo-Catholic who objects in conscience to the consecration of
women bishops (News, 14
November).
The new arrangements are not binding on any future consecration,
Dr Sentamu said, and have been made in the light of the House of
Bishops' commitment to enable a "suitable supply" of bishops to
minister to Catholics and Evangelicals who cannot in conscience
accept the ministry of a woman bishop.
Burnley is not one of the sees created for "flying bishops" or
Provincial Episcopal Visitors, but a suffragan see in the diocese
of Blackburn. Dr Sentamu's statement notes that he presided at the
consecration of the traditionalist flying bishop the Bishop of
Beverley, the Rt Revd Glyn Webster, without any objection, although
Dr Sentamu had ordained women as priests since 1996.
In a statement, the pressure group WATCH (Women and the Church)
described its "dismay" at the arrangements. "We believe it is
unprecedented that an Archbishop should be present at a
consecration in his own Province and not lay hands on a candidate,
and not preside at the Eucharist. We are saddened that there will
be such a powerful visual sign of a divided College and House of
Bishops."
The Anglo-Catholic network Forward in Faith declined to comment,
but an editorial in New Directions, its monthly magazine,
in February last year, addresses the question of consecration.
"The issue for us has never been about so-called 'taint' but
rather with a theology and communion," the editorial said. "For
example, a bishop, who has in the past ordained women, by that act,
created an impairment of communion between him and bishops who did
not ordain women. Communion can be broken, but it can also be
restored. Our issue has always been one of theology and sacramental
assurance."
Dr Sentamu's statement explains how the consecration will work
in detail, and suggests that these new arrangements could shape the
custom of future consecrations.
Fr North will take an oath of canonical obedience to Dr Sentamu
as his Archbishop, and Dr Sentamu will be involved in other ways
during the service, such as preaching and presenting the episcopal
ring.
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