Search for next bishop of London raises prospect of female appointment
by Harriet Sherwood, Guardian:
The Church of England is considering candidates for its third most senior position, the bishop of London, amid speculation that a woman may be appointed.
Richard Chartres, who has held the post since 1996, is obliged to retire this year when he turns 70. He will step down at the end of February.
The C of E’s Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) will make a recommendation in the coming weeks to the prime minister, Theresa May. She in turn will advise the Queen, who formally nominates the new bishop. Recent custom has been that the prime minister rubber-stamps the first choice of the CNC.
In the past two years, after divisive debate within the C of E, 10 women have been consecrated as bishops. However, only two – Rachel Treweek of Gloucester and Christine Hardman of Newcastle – are senior (diocesan) bishops appointed to seats in the House of Lords.
The bishop of London, who comes after the archbishop of Canterbury and the archbishop of York in the C of E hierarchy, has a seat in the Lords by right. The post holder also acts as dean of Chapel Royal, essentially chaplain to the royal family.
Since being appointed, Chartres has declined to ordain women, in a concession to traditionalists in his deeply divided diocese. He has also abstained from ordaining men in order not to be accused of discrimination. But he has stated that he personally is “very much pro women priests”.
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