From the Revd Karen and Canon Nigel Rooms
Sir, — After the sixth woman bishop has been appointed in the Church of England, has no one else noted that five out of the six new bishops have clergy partners? This fact might occasion some research, reflection, and action in the Church on the gift of clergy couples, who, sad to say, are more often, in our experience, “problematised” than celebrated.
A brief survey of East Midlands dioceses recently showed that between ten and 20 per cent of all the clergy were married to each other (yes, that is up to one in five). And yet concrete policies for the flourishing of both partners seem few and far between when God is clearly up to something here.
KAREN ROOMS, NIGEL ROOMS
St Ann’s Vicarage
17 Robin Hood Chase
Nottingham NG3 4EY