A good explanation of Conservative Evangelical concerns over women bishops

From the Church Times letter page.

From The Revd Jonathan Fletcher

Sir, — In the light of the forth coming crucial debates in General Synod, you have rightly carried a considerable number of letters rep resenting different sides of the argu­ment concerning the consecra tion of women to the episcopate; but there have been few, if any, expres sing the difficulties that many con servative Evangelicals would have if they were ever asked to accept the episcopal oversight of a woman bishop. [Image: Reform]

Although we accept totally that scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice (Canon A5), we accept that our interpreta tion might be at fault. So, when new issues arise, we return to the Bible to recalibrate our position — e.g. on slavery, divorce, homosexuality, and male “headship”, and we need some times to abandon long-cherished views. Life would be much easier for us if, as well as recognising a total equality of men and women, we could find an identity of roles. In the light of 1 Corinthians 11.3 and 1 Timothy, however, we remain con vinced that there is a glorious difference in the vital ministries of men and women. We have been very grateful for the Act of Synod 1993, which recognised the integrity of both positions, and we have invoked this when request ing our bishop to grant presbyteral ordinations when only men were being so ordained. This has been rightly and graciously granted.

This position has been greeted with increasing hostility, however. We fear, therefore, that without legal safe guards the integrity of our position will not be accepted. As I have recently visited two theological colleges to speak to ordinands, I have a very great fear that we shall lose some very fine young men who are totally orthodox in their Anglicanism, able to affirm ex animo the Thirty-Nine Articles, and the doctrine of the Book of Common Prayer and the Homilies, but who will not be able to accept at any stage the episcopal oversight of a woman. To abandon such men would be as tragic as the Great Ejection of 1662. But is this really the wish of the General Synod? If so, I would feel that a great part of my ministry over these past 40 years, which has been to encourage men to consider ordination, has been be trayed. Much more seriously, if clear legal safeguards are not provided — and a code of practice is totally insufficient — the Church of England will lose the ministry of many outstanding ordinands. We must pray that the General Synod does not make this catastrophic mistake.

JONATHAN FLETCHER