Women Bishops update...

See Thinking Anglicans and also The Church times.

So not flying bishops but complementary bishops - what is the difference really?

In this Code, the complementary bishop is able to function fully as a bishop for any “petitioning parish” that has requested alternative over­sight on the grounds of theological objection to women’s ministry. These functions include presenting candid­ates and appointing clergy, recom­mending candidates for ordination, and exercising discipline.

A new Canon A4 is proposed, with the additional clause: “The Church of England affirms that its members may, with a good conscience, hold theological convictions which render them unable to receive the ministry of female bishops and priests. In mak­ing arrangements to respect those theological convictions, the Church of England nevertheless ac­counts and affirms those who are made, ordained or consecrated as de­scribed in paragraph 2 [i.e. lawfully] to be truly bishops, priests or deacons.”

I suppose though it is all in accordance with what happened in July:

The motion carried by the General Synod in July 2008.

‘That this Synod:

(a) affirm that the wish of its majority is for women to be admitted to the episcopate;

(b) affirm its view that special arrangements be available, within the existing structures of the Church of England, for those who as a matter of theological conviction will not be able to receive the ministry of women as bishops or priests;

(c) affirm that these should be contained in a statutory national code of practice to which all concerned would be required to have regard; and

(d) instruct the legislative drafting group, in consultation with the House of Bishops, to complete its work accordingly, including preparing the first draft of a code of practice, so that the Business Committee can include first consideration of the draft legislation in the agenda for the February 2009 group of sessions.’