Bishops might be back on our runways 'flying' again!

AS THE House of Bishops met to discuss the Church’s future, a Synod insider revealed that plans are already in place to provide ‘flying bishops’ for those who can not accept women bishops. The bishops gathered in London earlier this week with a series of momentous debates to be thrashed out, on topics including women bishops, complementary or ‘flying’ bishops, Anglican governance, and the broken state of the Communion following the division of the Episcopal Church. The agenda for the discussions is supposedly kept private, but several of the debates have already spilled out into the public domain. An anonymous bishop revealed last weekend that flying bishops would be provided for those who could not accept the authority of women bishops. Synod lay member, Paul Eddy, has now confirmed to The Church of England Newspaper, that the reports were true, although he was not at liberty to reveal the identity of the Bishop. He said the Church was preparing to offer oversight for traditionalists who could not accept the authority of women bishops: “It will happen, there’s no doubt about it. That’s why we need to stop playing politics with it, and actually unite and do something about it. “There are conversations going on already, I know at least 12 parishes and two key dioceses where people have come together and have already sorted out the oversight.” The House of Bishops was also charged by General Synod to consider the relations of different authorities providing Anglican Governance. Many in the Synod are infuriated by the bishops’ lack of respect for the decision in July to follow the Code of Practice option, rather than the complimentary bishops, and feel this demonstrates the failure of the Church’s decision making procedures. Last week three bishops addressed the failings of General Synod, and the Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Nicholas Reade, advised that the decision on women bishops should ultimately be made only by the House of Bishops. The Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, a clergy member of Synod for London, said: “They are meant to be our leaders so my hope is that they will put away their own interests and think about what is best for the church, not what is good for them and their tradition.

For full report see CEN front page. Thurs 9^th Oct.

So not all we hoped to be achieved in June synod is happening...What do you think of the provision? Perhaps it is necessary for the sake of communion.