News

Bishops' conference settles on women bishop protocols
By Market-Place
April 17, 2008
Australia's National Anglican Bishops Conference BENCH: When Australia's bench of Anglican bishops meets next year, the days of the male-only club will be over. A service at Newcastle's Christ Church cathedral was a feature of this month's conference . (PHOTO: Elizabeth Keevers, Newcastle Diocese)

Conference aims to protect consciences

This month's  national bishops' conference heard details of Perth's imminent plan to appoint Australia's first woman bishop during discussion about new protocols to introduce the change.

Proposals to ease national church tension on the isssue were a key agenda item as more than forty Anglican bishops from across Australia met in Newcastle April 6-10 for their annual conference.

According to an official release from the conference, the bishops "unanimously agreed to a way forward together" following a "long but constructive debate".

The protocols recognised "the good faith" of those in the church who support the introduction of the first women bishops and of those who dont.

The bishops resolved to "nurture the highest possible level of collegiality as bishops" in the future and agreed to make special provision in situations where the ministry of a woman bishop would not be welcome.

Speaking to the bishops during the conference, Perth's Archbishop Roger Herft outlined the steps that Perth diocese had gone through both at last year's diocesan synod and since then to choose a new assistant bishop.

"I was very clear that we had gone through the discernment process over the last year," Archbishop Herft said, "and that we were waiting for this Australian bishops conference to help us in terms of the protocols."

"I thought the meeting was very helpful in providing us with the right sort of outcome."

Alternative oversight

The new protocols are designed to make sure clergy and parishes which conscientiously object to receiving the ministry of a bishop from a woman, will have an alternative source of Episcopal ministry.

While many metropolitan dioceses appoint assistant bishops to oversee particular regions within their diocese, in Perth assistant bishops work as part of a team without oversight of a geographical area.

It's a difference Archbishop Herft believes will minimise the potential for tension from 'opposing' parishes.

"We already have a culture here of responding in most appropriate ways," Archbishop Herft said.

"Any particular parish that feels that another bishop from another region might in fact be better placed and more suited for their particular mission at that point in time, then that particular bishop attends to that and can be responsive to that particular issue."

"The protocols will help us to further establish the principle that we have enunciated."

Sydney's Archbishop Dr Peter Jensen was pleased by the way the protocols came together at the conference.

"I'm pleased that there has been considerable goodwill during the formation of these protocols," Archbishop Jensen said.

"Action was needed to protect the consciences of those who believe, as we do, that the consecration of women bishops is against biblical teaching.

"There are strongly-held convictions which separate us but we have endeavoured to find a way forward with courtesy and respect."

The Primate, Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, said he was pleased that in the face of difference in strongly held convictions the bishops had reached agreement.

Amongst a long agenda, the conference also discussed this year's Lambeth Conference, a proposal for a Covenant for the Anglican Communion and the work of Anglican aid agencies.

The 5-day Newcastle conference gave bishops a taste of one local parish's efforts to explore 'contemporary' worship.

Forty bishops enjoyed the visit to St John's, Cooks Hill.

Rector, the Reverend Garry Dodd, made sure the bishops were welcomed to take part in the service that is designed to 'connect with and challenge them as leaders'.

The service was "bishop friendly and we .. added a great element that brings the community voice directly to church by creating a DVD of people we interviewed off the street, in the local area," he said.

Newcastle's Bishop Brian Farran said the parish visit fitted in with the conference's aim of encouraging creativity by giving the bishops an opportunity to investigate "fresh expressions of church that have cultural resonance such as those at the Parish of Cooks Hill."