Women Bishops!

Thankfully there are many feminists around who fought for the rights we now have. Some or most of which I am sure you have appreciated Marm??

Standing alone as a strong woman is all very well but no one would have heard your voice!

No,Aka,I live in England.How other countries rule is no concern of mine,with the greatest respect.

Lucky you Marm that you don't live in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, etc then.

Elegran
Poor little you.
Look in your History books,there have always been strong women.We don't need anybody to fight for us.As for some things,evolution would have taken care of that.We used to run around with spears once.Or our Men did.Mind you,women did too,no doubt.
Regards to you.You keep fighting.Im cool with my life.Nobody would dare try to rule me.

He was no different to most men of his time. Unfortunately those who take the Bible literally fail to realise that it written for how society was 2000 years ago and not a modern society.

purpledaffodil Yep! St Paul was a great misogynist as my RE teacher said.

1 Corinthians 14:34
"Women should keep silent in church"

Colossians 3:18

"women submit to husbands" These bits of "advice" were repeated in various of his letters to his churches.

Marmark
"I'm not a feminist, there's no need, I'm confident enough to know I can do and be what ever I really want."

That is exactly what feminists in the past fought for you to be allowed to do and be, to vote, to graduate, to control your own money, to be guardian to your own children. It is what real feminists are still fighting to achieve for women all over the world. Not the strident ones who rant against men, but the ones who want women to be strong and free and to re-educate those diehard chauvinists who would still like to keep their womenfolk barefoot and pregnant. They still exist, and milllions of women are not able to do and be whatever they really want.

Feminism is not just a quaint bit of history which can now be dropped as not needed. "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance"

And why not

I have nothing in theory against women priests. I have met a few and as I said previously I have never met one that I personally was comfortable with.
On the other hand I have met women who, if they had chosen the priesthood I would have been happy with.
Perhaps it's just our diocese?

I enjoyed *MARMARK"S post !!

I'm not CofE and I don't particularly care if there are woman bishops. I'm sure there are good and bad amongst all vicars regardless of gender. A vicar isn't the same as a police officer, doctor or any other job. To believers they're a link between God and man/woman. Some consideration has to be given to those who have spent their whole lives in a male led church and don't feel comfortable with the changes. A male bishop may allow some parishes to have female vicars, male vicars who support the inclusion of female vicars and vicars who are against female vicars. In such a diocese the worshipper can choose which church to attend. If the diocese has a female bishop what will happen to the vicars who don't agree with female vicars. They may stay for a while but eventually all parishes will became either female led or female supporter led as those against female vicars will choose to work in other dioceses.

Is the CofE working on the theory that eventually if given no choice all worshippers will simply accept the new status quo?

There will be no churches in 50years let alone 500,Why do you think they are mostly empty.The teachings of the bible are not being followed.Anything goes today.Whats religion? And what's the point ,if it all changes again.I most strongly believe in equality right across the board.But the church should have stayed the same solid foundation it always was.Something you could always turn to,knowing it would always be the same.even when things were falling around you.
And NO,I'm not a feminist,there's no need,I'm confident enough to know I can do and be what ever I really want.

We had a woman vicar officiating at my sister's funeral several years ago and another woman vicar at my mum's funeral last year. They were absolutely wonderful. So sincere and gentle. I think it will be great to have women bishops.

I'm sure we have all met women who would have made lovely priests if that route had been open to them when they were younger. And the male ones you come across are a mixed bag. One wedding we went to in and Anglican church was conducted entirely in that Derek Nimmo voice and he kept the congregation standing throughout the ceremony so all one could see were the hats in front.

Purely on an academic level, all texts are open to interpretation. Especially those which have been translated, handed down from the past and re-written by academics, clerics and heads of state (all with their own agendas). All I know is that I do not believe anyone of whatever sex, race, religion etc etc, is somehow better or worse at explaining that we would all get on a lot better if we showed compassion and love for our fellow man, whilst reminding us that everyone is fallible and subject to weaknesses, except perhaps that special being (if one believes) - I'm still not sure but find it wonderful that many do and I fully accept they get great comfort from doing so.

You wouldn't think Britain has had laws regarding sex discrimination since 1975 would you! Somehow, the Church has been allowed to bypass that law.

It was all based on the 'fact' that the twelve disciples of Jesus were men and yet:

Christ says;"Where I shall be, there will be also my twelve ministers. But Mary Magdalene and John, the virgin, will tower over all my disciples and over all men who shall receive the mysteries in the Ineffable. And they will be on my right and on my left. And I am they, and they are I."

Sounds as though men and women were pretty equal to me.

I am no theologian, but I understand that women priests were proscribed by St Paul in a letter addressing a particular local situation. Perhaps I have been fortunate, but it have met many remarkable women priests and I cannot imagine how you can say that a woman is ok to be a priest, but not somehow good enough for the higher ranks. That is not so much a glass ceiling as one of reinforced concrete. Hurrah for the Synod seeing sense this time!

Perhaps more women in the Church will help to improve numbers in the congregations. I'm not a church member but have met women clerics and to have a female bishop I think is just great. I feel the same about female police officers too and I've met a few of those in my time in the courts and as colleagues

I have no doubt that if the world is still here in 500 years time, and there is such a thing as the Christian religion, women bishops will just be without any more thought. If you get my meaning!!!

Is that not just prejudice by another name?

The subject is/was women bishops, and therefore, priests. That has nothing to do with capability of women. It is likely to be a deep seated, and very personal, feeling. Developed over a lifetime of worship.

It makes me so sad to read the comments from some of you about doubting the capabilities of women to do certain jobs. When one thinks of what our Grandmothers, Mothers, Sisters and, unfortunately even daughters, have to go through to gain their place in this world I cannot believe that there are still women who will not let them reach their full potential.

I'd be the first to disagree with anyone that stated all men and women are basically the same - we are not. The female is wired differently (although there will always be glorious exceptions). On the whole women tend to talk first, they tend towards compassion and caring and prefer not to hit first and ask questions later. However, there are many men who make the most amazing caring professionals and there are some pretty unpleasant women in positions of trust who have done some very nasty things.

All that being said I would never feel a female police-officer was less able or a female medic less capable nor would I doubt the faith and piety of a female priest ( and I'm not really religious - just try to be half way decent about things).

Please lets try to see the person, not the gender....judge by what someone does and says, not by which way they button their shirt.

Yes, I know I am being irrational about police officers these days. And especially as my ex-daughter-in-law was one, and she was 6' tall and very strong with it! It's stupid, I know, but I just have this image of being rescued by a male officer if I was attacked.
Seriously, I believe in the equality of women and therefore will adjust my attitude .
And, yes, it is getting away from the subject. We were discussing women's role in the Church. Sorry!

Yes. I've no doubt if I met one I would change my mind.

My best friend is a newly ordained curate and she is a very happy bunny today- not that she has career aspirations she has 'joined up' to late for that but there are son many wonderful women priests doing good work and much loved by their parishoners.