Anglicans in Wales Vote Against Ordaining Women to the Priesthood
Episcopal News Service. April 21, 1994 [94085]
James Rosenthal, Director of the Anglican Communion News Service in London
In a move that stunned many observers, the Governing Body (GB) of the Anglican Church in Wales rejected legislation on April 6 that would have permitted the ordination of women to the priesthood.
The proposed legislation failed by seven votes to meet the required two-thirds margin in the House of Clergy. The other two houses -- bishops and laity -- approved the measure by the required two-thirds vote.
During the three-hour debate, supporters and opponents of the measure passionately presented many of the arguments that have circulated throughout the church for the past 20 years.
In 1975 the Anglican Church in Wales agreed that there were no theological objections to ordaining women as priests, but did not proceed with legislation at that time. In a poll taken of parishes in the Anglican Church of Wales three years ago, more than 77 percent of the parochial church councils favored ordaining women.
Bishop Ivor Rees of the Diocese of St. David's told the assembly "not to ignore the voice of the laity." He urged an affirmative vote, contending that "we have a right to make this decision. The Anglican Communion is saying something quite definite about the ministry of women." George Fisher, a lay member of the GB from the Diocese of Landlaff, said that he was voting in favor of the legislation "to affirm my Anglicanism." He said that Anglicanism was "born to adapt, be flexible, broad, tolerant and comprehensive."
The Rev. David Hughes Rees of the Diocese of St. Asaph contended that limiting the priesthood to men was "partial, traditional and just plain wrong." He received thunderous applause following his statement that the church should "be ashamed of following the secular world in matters such as the ordination of women. It should have been out in front -- the secular world following the church's lead," he said.
Responding to concerns that the ordination of women would seriously damage relations with Roman Catholics, the Rev. Jonathan Williams of the Diocese of Monmouth said that there was much more than the ordination of women that served as an obstacle to unity talks. "The Roman Catholic Church must take its share of the blame in creating obstacles," he said.
However, opponents of the legislation warned that the ordination of women would lead to schism. "If the bill passed today, we will produce a situation where parish does not recognize parish," said the Rev. Carl Cooper of Bangor.
Another opponent contended that the Anglican Church did not have the authority to extend the priesthood to women. "There is no Anglican faith or Anglican priesthood, we share these with the whole church," said Peter Edwards from the Diocese of Monmouth. He said that approval of the legislation would mean "we burned our bridge -- the via media would be no more."
At the announcement of the vote a loud gasp of despair emanated from the assembly, followed by some crying and then silence. Women deacons sought the solace of each other and their supporters. Nevertheless, there were no demonstrations or outbursts of any kind on the floor.
Following the announcement, Archbishop Alwyn Rice Jones, primate of the Anglican Church in Wales, said that he was "ashamed" of the church in Wales and expressed hope that the rejection of the bill would not drive out women from the church's ministry. He pledged that the Bench of Bishops would bring the bill back to the Governing Body within 12 months, but the process would likely take another three years before it could be voted on again.
One of the younger female members of the GB spoke of her disappointment and "being tired of the whole thing. Many of my friends are women deacons," said Sue Lloyd, "and those who opposed this bill are simply dyed-in-the-wool traditionalists who feel their jobs would be at risk." She also expressed dismay at the nearly 20 years of waiting. "Jesus was only on the earth 33 years. I am glad he didn't listen to cries of 'Give us more time,' or he would have not completed his ministry," she remarked.
In the meantime, some observers of the Anglican Church in Scotland have suggested that the vote in Wales might influence a vote on the ordination in Scotland later this summer. Although the House of Bishops and House of Clergy are expected to approve the legislation by the required two-thirds margin, the vote in the House of Laity is expected to be very close.