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UK: Membership of Steering Committee to prepare women bishops' legislation
July 21, 2013
The Church of England reported yesterday that the Appointments Committee of General Synod has announced the membership of the Steering Committee to take charge of the preparation of draft legislation to enable women to become bishops. The Committee will meet a number of times in September and October to prepare the draft legislation for consideration at the November meeting of the Synod . The size and membership of the Committee will be reviewed by the Appointments Committee after this initial phase of work.
As outlined at this month's Synod in York the size of the newly formed Steering Committee reflects the suggestion from the Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Revd Pete Broadbent, urging "facilitated discussions" to continue. Canon David Porter, the Archbishop of Canterbury's director of reconciliation, who guided the facilitated discussions at Synod, helped advise the appointments committee.
Steering Committee members
The Revd Paul Benfield
The Revd Canon Jane Charman
The Revd Canon Robert Cotton
Dr Philip Giddings
Dr Paula Gooder
The Ven Christine Hardman
Dr Jamie Harrison
The Rt Revd James Langstaff (Chair)
Mrs Susannah Leafe
The Revd Dr Rosemarie Mallett
Canon Margaret Swinson
The Revd Preb Roderick Thomas
The Rt Revd Dr Martin Warner
The Rt Revd Trevor Willmott
The Revd Canon Dr Dagmar Winter
The Very Reverend Vivienne Faull (Consultant)
(Source: The Church of England website)
FOOTNOTE: A source in England told VOL that five of the fifteen represent conservative views. The idea is to have a large group which will go away into retreat with professional mediators, and work on it until they can come up with proposals which will achieve a 2/3 majority in the House of Laity.
The absolutist demands made by WATCH, a militant pro women bishops lobby have prevented this from happening up to now. If WATCH will budge and accept some diversity in the CofE then women bishops will come about very quickly. If the group cannot make proposals which will offer sufficient provisions for conservatives, then the legislation will not proceed. There is no point in continuing if it is doomed at Final Approval stage, where the 2/3 special majority is required.
