The outcome of General Synod

Reasons to be optimistic

1. Synod’s decision is good news for the Church
• Synod’s endorsement of the draft legislation is a decisive step forward. It allows women to be bishops without dismantling the office of bishop and offers space to those opposed. It is a good and generous compromise.
• It relies on trust not legal separation.
• It is good news for the Church.

2. A Generous Compromise
The draft legislation is a generous compromise because
• Those in favour of women bishops dropped their insistence on the simplest possible legislation in order to include as many people as possible.
• Provision is made for parishes opposed to women’s ordained ministry to have a male priest and/or a male bishop via Letters of Request.
• The Code of Practice and Diocesan Schemes will aim to ensure that those male priests and bishops are in fact acceptable to the requesting parishes.

3. The draft legislation had overwhelming support – other ways of accommodating those opposed did not.
• The draft legislation proposed by the Revision Committee had overwhelming support from Synod (373/14).
• Other ways of accommodating those opposed were all rejected by Synod: separate dioceses (258/134), transfer (270/175), and co-ordinate jurisdiction (by Houses)
• The Archbishops’ Amendment for co-ordinate jurisdiction did not command enough support to succeed by Houses. Each House was significantly divided. (Bishops 25/15, Clergy 85/90, Laity 106/86)
• This draft legislation is the way forward that best unites the church.


The next stage.

Discussion in the dioceses
• The Draft Legislation now goes to the dioceses for discussion and approval.
• When it returns to General Synod it will need a 2/3 majority in each house to pass.
• This is a very high threshold but is achievable with a Synod that properly reflects opinion across the church as a whole.

New Synod
• The final vote will be taken by a new Synod elected this autumn.
• Those opposed are aiming to stop the legislation by packing Synod with their supporters.
• It is vitally important that people who support the full inclusion of women stand for Synod and that everyone uses their vote wisely.


PLEASE CONSIDER STANDING FOR GENERAL SYNOD

YOU WILL NOT SPLIT THE VOTE.

WE CAN SUPPORT YOU.

PAPERS ARE OUT ALREADY.

THE DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS IS 3RD SEPTEMBER.