Bishop of Manchester regrets delay to women bishops debate

The Bishop of Manchester expressed his regret today at the delay to a debate on the consecration of women bishops in the Church of England.

The Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch told General Synod, the Church of England’s governing body meeting in London, that the scale of the task had made it "impossible" for the Revision Committee to complete draft legislation in time for debate this week.

The committee has received nearly 300 submissions in the nine months since it was charged with drafting the legislation at last year’s February Synod.

“It has been an extraordinary logistical challenge for the committee to ensure that everyone has the say that they are entitled to,” he said.

The Revision Committee has had to defend itself against accusations of deliberately delaying the debate on women bishops because of the contentious nature of the issue.

Bishop McCulloch assured that the legislation would be ready for consideration several weeks before the July Synod in York.

The draft legislation rules out conferring jurisdiction on anyone other than the diocesan bishop, meaning there will be no “super flying bishops” for those who oppose women. Rather, arrangements for parishes that object to women’s ordination will be on the basis of delegation from diocesan bishops, he said.

“We very much regret that the scale of the task made it impossible for us to conclude the Revision Committee stage in time for this group of sessions. That was always our target and we did our level best,” said Bishop McCulloch.

He added: “The key point is that the work of the Revision Committee is just one of many important stages in a process.

“The task of the Revision Committee is to send back to the Synod something that will provide a coherent basis for the next – and potentially most crucial – phase of the discussion, in which the whole Synod will have to revisit many of the arguments with which we have agonised for so long.”

Some 50 clergy attached to the traditionalist group of Anglicans, Reform, sent an open letter to Synod members today warning that it would be a “mistake” to go ahead with the consecration of women bishops and that failing to make provisions for opponents will lead to a “drastic cut” in the number of male ordinands in the Church of England.

Today’s presentation from Bishop McCulloch came as the Rev Canon Simon Bessant warned of a “testosterone deficit” in the Church of England.

He urged the House of Bishops to debate the “profound theological issues which characterise a church with a gender imbalance”.

The Bishop of Bristol responded by saying the Church was trying to move "beyond anecdotal evidence" to more substantial mission policies.

He said: "I believe every bishop is concerned to build a well-balanced church, and mission amongst men and younger people is on everyone's agenda."