Women Bishops in the Church in Wales.

Here is the latest from the Sept. 2012 Governing Body of the Church in Wales;

At the April 2012 GB, members discussed a consultation paper prepared by the Bishops on the Ordination of Women to the Episcopate, and completed a questionnaire.
The results of the questionnaire indicate that:

• - There would appear to be clear and sufficient support for the Bench to bring forward a Bill to enable women to be ordained as bishops.
  
•  -There is smaller, but nevertheless significant, support, for some form of pastoral provision for individuals who, in conscience, cannot accept that this step should be taken.
  
• - There is little support for provision for structural or parochial opt-outs.
  -The Bishops proposed to the GB that appropriate legislation be drawn up to enable women to be ordained to the Episcopate, but to do this through two separate Bills:
  -The first Bill would deal with the following matters of principle: Women may be ordained as bishops in the Church in Wales. 

• 
  
•  There will be a scheme of pastoral provision, to be approved by the Governing Body by means of a second Bill, making provision for those who cannot in conscience accept the ministry of a woman bishop.
  
•  If this first Bill were to be passed and become a Canon, it would not come into force until such a second Bill is approved by the Governing Body and becomes a Canon.
  The second Bill would refer to the Canon enabling women to be ordained as bishops. A scheme of pastoral provision would be included as a schedule in a second Bill in order to give as much confidence as possible to those for whom it provides that their genuinely held views are being taken seriously and that the Church is being faithful to its declared intent in 1996.
  Once the principle in the first Bill is established, appropriate time and careful consideration would be given to further discerning the nature and extent of pastoral provision required.
  After debate, GB agreed through a majority vote for legislation to be drawn up in this way. 
  
  The big question which again will be asked is whether there will be a Bishop re-instated for those adhering to the teachings of the universal church who have been asking for the pastoral provision of a Bishop of their integrity ? As the direction has already been mapped in the words by the decision makers
  There is little support for provision for structural or parochial opt-outs the answer is almost certainly No, the same deafening no that seems to go unheard. We will see soon enough what crumbs are to be offered....

Free

    

Thanks be to God that the Christian Pastor I blogged about here has been released in Iran. Thanks to all who joined in these prayers and with this cause for two years. When we talk about Christians being "persecuted" in this country we perhaps ought to be careful not to overstate what is actually better described as discrimination. Thus avoiding a confusing, and thus watering down, of the plight of so many Christians who have in the past and continue now in real persecution.