Australia’s Flying Bishops: CEN 4.11.08 p 7. April 11, 2008
Posted by geoconger in Anglican Church of Australia, Church of England Newspaper, Women Priests.trackback
The Archbishop of Adelaide has circulated a proposal for alternative episcopal oversight for those opposed to the ministrations of women bishops ahead of this week’s meeting of the Australian House of Bishops.
In a split 4-3 decision released on Sept 28, 2007 the Church’s Appellate Tribunal found the language of the Law of the Church of England Clarification Canon 1992 did not require a bishop to be male in order to meet the definition of ‘canonical fitness’ for the Episcopal ministry.
Two suffragan sees, one in Melbourne and one in Perth, are presently vacant and supporters of women bishops hope a woman cleric will be appointed to fill the vacancy in time for the Lambeth Conference.
However, opponents of women bishops, led by the evangelical Archbishop of Sydney and Anglo-Catholic Bishop of Ballarat have protested the decision, saying such an innovation must go through General Synod, rather than a re-reading of the canons by a court.
Dr. Driver is understood to have proposed creating an ad hoc structure where a retired male bishop, or a neighboring bishop would be invited to stand in for a women bishop, when faced with a congregation that does not recognize her orders. However, this structure would not be enshrined in canon law, but would rely on “good will and Christian grace” from all concerned.
The proposal also addresses the problem of women bishops in the Province of New South Wales. The Metropolitan of New South Wales, Archbishop Peter Jensen of Sydney will not consecrate a woman to the episcopate. The proposal would allow a new bishop in the province to be consecrated by someone other than the metropolitan.
The likelihood of success of an Australian informal flying bishop scheme is not high, as traditionalists tell The Church of England Newspaper the assumption of “good will” is not one they have been able to count on in the past.
“Women bishops in our national Church are now inevitable,” the suffragan bishop of South Sydney, the Rt. Rev. Rob Forsythe said after the Appellate decision.
“We may not like it; we may not like the process that paved the way for it; we may disagree with the decision on either theological or legal grounds or both; but the reality is that women bishops will be in Australia this decade,” he said.
“We therefore need to think seriously about how women bishops will affect the Diocese in which they are consecrated and the Anglican Church of Australia as a whole,” Bishop Forsythe said.
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