Australian Anglican Women ask General Synod to oppose Women Bishops

“In the light of Biblical teaching and the nature of the Episcopal role, we the undersigned, are opposed to legislation allowing the consecration of women as bishops. We ask the General Synod meeting in Perth, in October 2004, not to pass such legislation”.

It is sometimes claimed that only a small minority of Australian Anglicans oppose the introduction of women to all orders of ministry within the Anglican Church of Australia, including the episcopate. It is also often claimed those opposed are men, and often clergy. However, this is not true.

The above statement opposing the legislation allowing the introduction of women to the episcopate under consideration at this General Synod, has been signed by over thirteen hundred (1,300) Anglican lay women, representing around 150 different churches from a range of liturgical and theological traditions, from almost every diocese in Australia. About sixty percent (60%) of those parishes represented are from dioceses other than Sydney.

The petition was facilitated by Equal but Different and Forward in Faith using un-official, word-of-mouth networks to contact women. Even given these limited means, the depth and breadth of distribution of the response is significant.

There are, of course, thousands more Anglican women, who are similarly opposed to the innovation of women bishops, but who have been unable to express their opposition because they have not known about or had access to this petition.

Furthermore, a significant number of women who expressed their desire to sign have not done so, for fear of discrimination within their dioceses, against themselves, against their children at diocesan schools, against clergy husbands, or against individual churches. This is a distressing development in our life together as Australian Anglicans.

Also unrepresented in this petition are thousands of Anglican men, lay and ordained, who were not given the opportunity to express their opposition to the introduction of women to the episcopate, but whose conviction is equally heart-felt and widespread.

The decision before the General Synod regarding women bishops will have far-reaching pastoral and relational implications. The attached pages indicate there are a great many Anglican women throughout Australia, strongly opposed to the introduction of women to the role of bishop, who will be affected should the innovation proceed.

We urge The General Synod to heed their objections and consider their consciences in their deliberations.