In their Preface to the report Women Bishops in the Church of England?, also known as the Rochester Report, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York commended it: ‘for prayerful study within the dioceses of the Church of England’ (p.ix) and at its meeting in February 2005 General Synod voted to take note of the report.
The Working Party that produced the report expressed the hope that resources could be made available to help individuals and groups in dioceses, deaneries and parishes engage in the careful study commended by the Archbishops. Such study does not aim to simply address the question “Yes or No?” but to recognise the range of issues involved.
The table in Annex 1 below, explaining the process that would eventually need to be taken, shows the stage at which different groups need to look at different questions. The timing of the various stages outlined in this table is necessarily contingent on the outcome of Synod motions etc. At the time of writing in March 2005 stages A & B have passed and stage C is likely to be reached in July 2005. The House of Bishops expects that moving from D to P would take at least four years (not least because 18 months would need to be allowed for the referral to dioceses outlined in J & K).
The following resources are offered for groups where many are unfamiliar with some of the underlying concerns and arguments.
Suitable for groups (e.g. deanery synods or PCCs) who wish to begin to explore the issues involved (recognising that it is unrealistic to present in detail the full range of issues examined in the working party’s report).
The suggested process can be used within a limited time frame, and can be adapted as appropriate.
This aims
There are 2 introductory activity exercises, which aim to introduce people to a range of ideas raised in the report. They could be used as processes to encourage discussion in small groups (optimum numbers 4 – 8). One of these can be incorporated into the group session suggested.
An introductory activity to encourage groups to look at key issues in relation to a simple theological framework..
An activity to encourage groups to engage with a range of issues that affects the decision whether or not to have women bishops.
Material suitable for groups wanting to look at some of the organisational issues that would arise if women are ordained as bishops.