St Peter's Church Folkestone

First, may I thank you all for your hard work and support over the last few days in York, days which had their highs as well as their lows. I expect we all came home feeling that we had joined Archbishop Rowan in his ‘waterless pit’ - a place where we can feel solidarity with him. Do remember with gratitude the warm support and fellowship of many friends in the Synod, and the House of Bishops, at these sessions.

Let me describe to you where we are now in terms of synodical process on women bishops. The majority of the Synod have expressed their opinion that women should be admitted to the episcopate, and that there should be significant and substantial provision for those opposed in a statutory code of practice. The legislative drafting group will now proceed to draw up the draft legislation and code which will be given First Consideration at Synod in February 2009. At some point before then, the Appointments Committee will appoint a Steering Committee for the legislation, which will comprise about 5 members, all of whom must support the legislation. The Steering Committee will take over from the Drafting Group, though it may include a number of those who have served on the Drafting Group. In February, comments can be made in debate on the proposals, and sometimes those who make significant points in the debate are asked to join the Revision Committee. After February, the Revision Committee will be appointed, consisting of the Steering Committee plus 5 or 6 others; it is supposed to make be a broadly representative group. Members of Synod may write in to the Revision Committee with proposals for any kind of amendment to the draft legislation, all of which have to be considered and voted on. Major changes can and often do take place at Revision Committee stage. A further revision takes place in Full Synod, when the scope for amendment is more limited.

Unless and until the legislation reaches Final Approval, the mind of the Synod has not been definitively declared. Catholics in the CofE have always had the vocation to witness, to the Catholic Faith, to the rest of the CofE. It would therefore seem to be our duty to continue this witness through the stages of the legislative process, at least until the mind of the Synod is declared definitively through Final Approval. There is certainly the possibility for significant improvement to the provision in the Revision Committee. The Drafting Group will also have to look at how they can provide for our stated needs in the code of practice, in particular to provide us with bishops who do not act with the authority of women diocesan bishops. If they are unable to do this, they have to say so in their report, and perhaps find a way of making proper provision - there is still a circle for them to square.

It may be useful to remind ourselves and others as to why we do not believe a code of practice can deliver:

1. Under a code, complementary bishops derive their episcopal authority from that of the diocesan bishop, who may be a woman

2. Lay people would not know if a male priest had been ordained by a woman bishop

3. Compliance with a code is not legally enforceable, and few can afford judicial review

4. Trust: yesterday’s debate did not inspire it!

We need to ask our supporters to remain calm and prayerful at this time. There is still hope, and while there is hope, we must as loyal Anglicans continue to witness, both to and in the Church of England, to the Catholic Faith.

May God bless us and keep us,

Father Simon Killwick.

(Return to Women Bishops updates page)