Swing voters say they will now back women bishops

[hrmjustin]

Madeleine Davies

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THE pivotal votes of a small num­ber of members of the General Synod who helped to defeat the women-bishops Measure in Novem­ber 2012 have swung to the Yes camp.

The earlier Measure was lost by six votes in the House of Laity. Instrumental to the defeat were a handful of members who, despite being in favour of the consecration of women as bishops, voted against the Measure, prompted by a concern that it did not offer enough provision for those who were opposed on principle.

Five of these members told the Church Times this week that they now planned to vote in favour.

"The Measure that is before us this month . . . is a totally different animal," Tom Sutcliffe (diocese of Southwark) said on Tuesday. "It makes suitable provision for most of those who don't believe women can or should be bishops and priests. . . If the Measure now before us were to fail, I think it would be a total disaster."

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/4-july/news/uk/swing-voters-say-they-will-now-back-women-bishops

[hrmjustin]

1. Methodists give cautious endorsement to bishops

Gavin Drake

MEMBERS of the Methodist Conference have endorsed the proposals in the report of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant Joint Implementation Commission (JIC) when they met in Birmingham this week, despite continued expressions of concern about the adoption of Methodist bishops.

The proposals, which will be considered by the General Synod next week, call for the two Churches' Faith and Policy groups to work on proposals that would mean that the Methodist Conference's ministry of oversight would be expressed in "a personal form of connexional, episcopal ministry"; and for the C of E to "recognise that ministry . . . as a sign of continuity in faith, worship, and mission in a Church that is in the apostolic tradition".

The Methodist co-chair of the JIC, Professor Peter Howdle, said that there had been "a shift in the ecumenical tone . . . both nationally and internationally" over the past12 months. It was "a very decisive moment and a very auspicious time," he said.

At the recent meeting between the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and both the President and Vice-President of the Conference, "there was a very strong sense of needing to move forward for the sake of mission in our islands", Professor Howdle said. They were "very strongly in favour of actionsto move things forward.

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/4-july/news/uk/methodists-give-cautious-endorsement-to-bishops

[okasha]

2. Anglicans and Lutherans

have already established close organizational ties. Am I reading this correctly, that they are also beginning to work on a similar rapprochement with the Methodists?

[hrmjustin]

3. In th UK yes.

It looks like they are not as advanced on the issue here but they sre trying.