"I believe", she says, leaning forward out of the plush sofa as if to underline her own words, "that God is not against women. It seems so extraordinarily insulting to Him to claim anything like that. So what do we say about God? How does that rhyme with the image of the all-embracing, loving and inclusive god? (sic) "Forward in Faith instead describes these ordained women, these holy women, by grossly abusive invective, as though they were cheap whores. This is so offensive that I cannot find words for it."

('Jag menar, säger hon och lutar sig fram ur den pösiga soffan för att ge eftertryck åt sina ord, Gud är inte emot kvinnor. Så oerhört förolämpande mot Honom att hävda något sådant. Vad säger vi då om Gud? Hur rimmar det med bilden av den allomfattande, kärleksfulle och inkluderande guden? I stället beskriver Forward in Faith-alliansen dessa vigda kvinnor, dessa heliga kvinnor, med grova tillmälen som vore de billiga horor. Det är så oförskämt att jag saknar ord.')

Fr Geoffrey Kirk, Vicar of St Stephen's, Lewisham and National Secretary of Forward in Faith explained that he had immediately written to Mrs Rees, asking for clarification, but had as yet received no satisfactory response. He commented:

'This is yet another example of the depths to which Christina Rees is prepared to sink in order to pursue her programme of driving out of the Church of England all those who cannot accept her revisionist agenda. It demonstrates only too clearly that she knows that she has lost the theological argument and that Forward in Faith's cogent proposals for a settlement whereby women could be consecrated as bishops, with proper provision being made for opponents, are gaining support from all sections of the Church.'

'I call upon the leadership of WATCH, as well as the other organisations with which Mrs Rees is involved, such as InclusiveChurch, to dissociate themselves from her outrageous and insulting remarks, which do nothing either to further their cause or to enable rational, informed debate between Christians who happen to disagree with each other. Mrs Rees, and those who think like her, should have no place in the coming debate on women bishops.'

This shocking intervention in the debate on the ordination of women comes on the eve of the meeting at York of the General Synod, which will be debating the women bishops issue on Monday, 11 July.

Enquiries:

Geoffrey Kirk: 020 8318 1295 or 07774 808728
Stephen Parkinson: 020 7388 3588 or 07889 548589

www.forwardinfaith.com

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