Dioceses with a vacant see should ‘prepare’ for a bishop who does not ordain women

Jun 22, 2018 by Jill

by Madeleine Davies, Church Times:

DIOCESES with a vacant see need to be educated that, given the Five Guiding Principles, it is possible that a bishop who does not ordain women will be appointed.

This is one of the findings of a report by the Secretary General of the Archbishops’ Council, William Nye, which outlines lessons learned from the nomination of Bishop Philip North to the see of Sheffield (News, 22 September 2017).

In writing it, Mr Nye has drawn on conversations with 13 people, including Bishop North; the Sheffield Diocesan Secretary, Heidi Adcock; the former Sheffield Dean of Women’s Ministry, Canon Abi Thompson; the national and diocesan communications directors; and the Prime Minister’s Appointments Secretary.

Among his conclusions is that, after the passing of the women-bishops legislation, “not enough was done to educate those in dioceses of the possibility of non-ordaining bishops continuing to be appointed to sees”. He notes that the Vacancy-in-See Guidelines have been amended to include this, and that the Appointments Secretaries are “working more closely with dioceses at these early stages to ensure that they understand this”.

Forward in Faith has welcomed this. “We hope that, when the next traditional Catholic is nominated to a diocesan see, the fruit of its work will be seen in much more generous responses within and beyond the diocese concerned,” a statement said.

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