Middle East approves women priests: The Church of England Newspaper, Feb 25, 2011 p 7. February 28, 2011
Posted by geoconger in Church of England Newspaper, Episcopal Church in Jerusalem & the Middle East, Women Priests.trackback
Bishop Michael Lewis
First published in The Church of England Newspaper.
The Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East has authorized a local option for women priests.
On Feb 7 the Bishop in Cyprus and the Gulf, the Rt. Rev. Michael Lewis, told a meeting of his diocesan synod in Larnaca the province had approved his request to ordain women priests for the diocese.
On Jan 15, 2010 Bishop Lewis ordained Catherine Mary Dawkins to the diaconate at Christ Church, Aden, to serve as deacon and assistant chaplain with her husband the Rev. Nigel Dawkins. The decision to approve a local option for women priests will now allow Bishop Lewis to ordain her to the priesthood in June. While Cyprus and the Gulf had given permission to officiate to women priests ordained outside of the diocese, provincial canons have forbidden their ordination.
“This is something that Synod has wanted to see for some time, and I am delighted to announce this new opportunity,” Bishop Lewis said. “The diocese is currently advertising for a chaplain for south east Cyprus, and it will be good to be able to invite applications from a full range of candidates.”
The decision will not affect the Dioceses in Iran, Jerusalem and Egypt, which do not ordain women to the priesthood.
Of the 38 Provinces of the Anglican Communion, 7 do not ordain women: Central Africa, Melanesia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, South East Asia, and Tanzania.
Two provinces ordain women to the diaconate only, Congo and the Southern Cone while 26 provinces and the extra-provincial Church of Ceylon ordain women to the priesthood: Bangladesh, Brazil, Burundi, Central America, England, Hong Kong, North India, South India, Indian Ocean, Ireland, Japan, Jerusalem & the Middle East, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Scotland, Southern Africa, the Sudan, Uganda, Wales, West Africa, and the West Indies. Four provinces have consecrated women bishops: the Episcopal Church, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as has the extra-provincial diocese of Cuba.
