Should the church have women bishops ?

[modeller]

Two women were offering their opposing views on the radio today.

[woofgang]

woo sandy, are you bored tonight?

[sandyRoe]

I'm bored every night

[joggerjayne]

It's no big loss for women, frankly.

[douglas9401]

As a confirmed non-believer I'm not here to bash the bishop but from where I sit it's immaterial

[lady-janine]

why not?

[woofgang]

hmmm jayne, there are women who feel called to be bishops in the church and women who would like pastoral support from a woman and to feel that "their" church respected them......
As I said, i am an outsider in this discussion but don't feel that I can respect an "established" church that so disrespects 50% of the population....and I view the "equal but different" argument as so much rowlocks

[plautus]

Another sensible comment from Douglas. It is amazing how the vast majority of criticism stems from those who are not members of the C of E, who, in the final analysis, are the only ones to be materially affected.

[douglas9401]

That being the case plautus, could it be dealt with in-house and spare the rest of us the laity v vestmented interests wrestling match.

[woofgang]

I would kind of agree except its the "established" church of England. The bishops sit in the house of Lords, and its the church which crowns our sovereign. If they want to sort things out in their own then they should relinquish their established status.

[jno]

it was dealt with in-house. They can't stop other people listening in; but on the other hand, nobody's obliged to, and I didn't.

[douglas9401]

On the other , other hand jno, I listen to the radio and watch TV so I get the good word along with Israel v Palestine and other Godly tales, stories of religious strife percolating in Burma and on, and on.....

[jno]

oh, I get all my news from AB. Plus Daily Mail links from aog always take me to the latest cellulite stories.

But what woofgang says. A private club can decide to be boys-only if it wants. But an established church isn't a private club.

[birdie1971]

To the original question – yes.

It is utterly absurd that an organisation that purports to represent all humanity deliberately excludes 50% of its own species from fully participating in the running of this self same organisation because of a two thousand year old tradition of misogyny and bigotry.

[beso]

Who cares. It is ridiculous that anyone tries to rationally debate such a topic when the entiere context is utterly irrational.

[joggerjayne]

Exactly, beso.

It's disappointing for women in the Church, but a relief for women in general. If we wanted to see other women dressing stupidly and representing a fictional person, well ... they should wait until next month and buy an Elf costume.

[boxtops]

what does one have to do do become a lay representative? (Not that I want to personally...) but how do they get the groundswell of opinion, to represent the view of the masses at these events?

[naomi24]

Boxy, Lay representatives are ‘invited’. They are nominated by their local clergy (bit like the Old Boy’s club really). They are then called to commit themselves and commissioned by the Bishop – for which they receive a certificate.

Fred, //Puzzling over what 'teaching of the Church' says that it's fine to have women as vicars but forbidden to have them as bishops. Does anyone have the text that says so? //

According to St Paul, women shouldn’t speak at all.

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.” 1 Corinthians 14:34

I have several friends who are Lay Readers - and most of them are against the idea of women Bishops.

[woofgang]

naomi, do they say why?

[naomi24]

Tradition. It’s a man’s place, the bible says that’s how it must be, that’s how it is, and that’s how it must stay.

[modeller]

Judging by the posts it would appear the Bible and the Quran have more in common than we are led to believe.