Women Bishops' Steering Committee
The membership of the Steering Committee to draft the new legislation on women bishops has been announced . Some names are familiar to me but others aren't so I decided to Google and record the results.
[details behind the cut]
The Revd Paul Benfield
Incumbent of St Nicholas, Fleetwood in Blackburn served at chancery bar before ordination. Has given evidence to Constitutional Affairs Committee on serving in a parish under patronage of Lord Chancellor which he did at Lewes in Chichester. And found work through the Lord Chancellor later. He states his opposition to women priests in this evidence. He says:
3. There was no difficulty with me expressing my opposition to women priests and stating a desire to serve in a parish which had passed resolutions A & B under the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993. At that time it was widely felt that many bishops were not interested in appointing those opposed to women priests and so to come to a patron's representative who was acting fairly and willing to embrace all legitimate views within the Church of England was refreshing.
. He also moved amendments in the July 2010 session of synod, but I haven't yet worked out what the significance of leaving out clause 3(10) paragraph (c) would have been.
Represented FinF and the Catholic group in giving evidence to the Working Party.
The Revd Canon Jane Charman
Is the Director of Learning for Discipleship and Ministry in the Diocese of Salisbury. She is @janeecharman on Twitter where I've recently started following her, I think because she was following me. Was recently at Mission and Ministry Conference in Blackpool. Has written about gender discrimination and why she now regrets having supported November's measure as the best on offer. She writes
I have come to understand that what I did was wrong. I was supporting a lesser good at the expense of a greater good. We cannot place the needs and wishes of a small number of our own members above our vocation to declare a gospel of justice and mercy for all human beings. We cannot achieve our goal of having women in the House of Bishops on such terms.
History is being made every day and we ourselves are making it. Each of us plays our chosen part. In years to come I hope to be able to look back on one of the significant issues of my own day and feel proud of the part that I played. I have resolved to vote against any Measure, legislation or provision which is discriminatory against women in any way. That would include the Measure put before us last November or anything of a similar nature. It probably means I will not be able to vote for anything which the new working group or the House of Bishops comes up with next unless it is a single clause measure supported by informal pastoral provision. I will use what influence I have to dissuade others too. If the result is that the Church of England does not have women bishops then so be it. It will be our loss and our disgrace. Perhaps we are not worthy of them yet.
The Revd Canon Robert Cotton
Also sponsored amendments in July session. Is on Council of Westcott House. This tells me he studied at Oxford (boo) and supports Wales and rugby (yay). More seriously he's on the archbishop's council. He's Rector of Holy Trinity and St Mary's in Guildford where he has a female curate.
Dr Philip Giddings*
Has an entry in Wikipedia . Chair of House of Laity who faced a vote of no confidence after speaking against the last legislation. He's a lecturer in Politics at Reading, did his DPhil at Oxford. He's a conservative evangelical and heads Anglican Mainstream.
Dr Paula Gooder*
A good egg, who I first heard of because my mum did a course with her. Biblical scholar, edited a book arguing for women's leadership on the basis of Scripture after November's vote. Now on Twitter as @paulargooder. She is Canon Theologian of Birmingham and Guildford, and Theologian to the Bible Society
The Ven Christine Hardman *
Another with a Wikipedia article.. She's now retired but was Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich. She was a deaconess for 3 years before being in the first tranche of female deacons and priests. She is Prolocutor of Convocation of Canterbury. The BBC has a clip of her and John Broadhurst on a 2008 synod vote on women bishops, but it's not compatible with my tablet so I haven't watched it.
Dr Jamie Harrison
Is chair of the House of Laity in the diocese of Durham. But that's all I've found so for.
The Rt Revd James Langstaff (Chair)*
Is Bishop of Rochester. An interview with a local paper after his appointment in 2011 reveals an interest in Affordable Housing.. Lay Anglicana did not find much about himto build profile, other than educated at Oxford (PPE) and St John's Nottingham and the intervieq aboce.. Laura thought he might be Anglo-Catholic due to an ARCIC reference, but St John's Nottingham suggests evangelical to me.
Mrs Susannah Leafe
A lay member of Synod. A Guardian story from last July quotes her as calling for a no vote saying:
"If you wish to be gracious, please vote against because ... this measure does not provide proper provision for those in either the anglo-Catholic or conservative evangelical members of our family. They've made that very clear,"
She is listed in the Working Party report on woman bishops as having given evidence on behalf of Reform and the Church Society (link to Thinking Anglicans html upload of the pdf). This means that she is a supporter of Male Headship. I struggle to understand how a woman who believe in Male Headship can justify voting against the majority of bishops - "I'll follow, if I think you're going the right way". She is on the Council of Reform though listed as Susie there.
The Revd Dr Rosemarie Mallett*
According to the Southwark Press release when she was deaconed at Michaelmas 04 she was born in Barbados and has a PhD in Sociology and a first degree in history and French. she took over as chair of AffCath last Sept.
Canon Margaret Swinson*
As well as being on synod, where she is vice-chair of the Council of Christian Unity, she is involved in Anglican-Roman Catholic Conversations From Worcestershire, went to Liverpool as a student did not leave.
The Revd Preb Roderick Thomas
Represented Reform & Church Society in giving evidence to the Working Party. He is the chairma of Reform and Vicar of St Matthew's Elburton whose Spring termcard (Jan-April) suggests that it sits lightly to the lectionary. Services are 8am BCP communion, 1030 Morning Worship (Communion 4th Sunday), 1700 Evening Prayer, BCP, with HC 1st Sunday and an informal 7pm service.
The Rt Revd Dr Martin Warner*
Former Administrator of the Shrine at Walsingham, then Bishop of Whitby, now Bishop of Chichester. Tweets as @MartinWarner. Forward in Faith. Wikipedia says he trained at Staggers have studied in Durham
The Rt Revd Trevor Willmott
BIshop of Dover.Wikipedia reveals that he studied at St Peter's Oxford as an undergraduate and then trained at Westcott It also mentioned Fitz, but that isn't necesarily a strong link; Westcott isn't a college (and Cambridge doesn't have the PPH category Oxford does) so if ordinands are doing Tripos and if they aren't linked to another college Fitz is the default option.
The Revd Canon Dr Dagmar Winter
The Very Reverend Vivienne Faull (Consultant)*
Those members er s marked * were on the Working Party which met after November
[details behind the cut]
The Revd Paul Benfield
Incumbent of St Nicholas, Fleetwood in Blackburn served at chancery bar before ordination. Has given evidence to Constitutional Affairs Committee on serving in a parish under patronage of Lord Chancellor which he did at Lewes in Chichester. And found work through the Lord Chancellor later. He states his opposition to women priests in this evidence. He says:
3. There was no difficulty with me expressing my opposition to women priests and stating a desire to serve in a parish which had passed resolutions A & B under the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993. At that time it was widely felt that many bishops were not interested in appointing those opposed to women priests and so to come to a patron's representative who was acting fairly and willing to embrace all legitimate views within the Church of England was refreshing.
. He also moved amendments in the July 2010 session of synod, but I haven't yet worked out what the significance of leaving out clause 3(10) paragraph (c) would have been.
Represented FinF and the Catholic group in giving evidence to the Working Party.
The Revd Canon Jane Charman
Is the Director of Learning for Discipleship and Ministry in the Diocese of Salisbury. She is @janeecharman on Twitter where I've recently started following her, I think because she was following me. Was recently at Mission and Ministry Conference in Blackpool. Has written about gender discrimination and why she now regrets having supported November's measure as the best on offer. She writes
I have come to understand that what I did was wrong. I was supporting a lesser good at the expense of a greater good. We cannot place the needs and wishes of a small number of our own members above our vocation to declare a gospel of justice and mercy for all human beings. We cannot achieve our goal of having women in the House of Bishops on such terms.
History is being made every day and we ourselves are making it. Each of us plays our chosen part. In years to come I hope to be able to look back on one of the significant issues of my own day and feel proud of the part that I played. I have resolved to vote against any Measure, legislation or provision which is discriminatory against women in any way. That would include the Measure put before us last November or anything of a similar nature. It probably means I will not be able to vote for anything which the new working group or the House of Bishops comes up with next unless it is a single clause measure supported by informal pastoral provision. I will use what influence I have to dissuade others too. If the result is that the Church of England does not have women bishops then so be it. It will be our loss and our disgrace. Perhaps we are not worthy of them yet.
The Revd Canon Robert Cotton
Also sponsored amendments in July session. Is on Council of Westcott House. This tells me he studied at Oxford (boo) and supports Wales and rugby (yay). More seriously he's on the archbishop's council. He's Rector of Holy Trinity and St Mary's in Guildford where he has a female curate.
Dr Philip Giddings*
Has an entry in Wikipedia . Chair of House of Laity who faced a vote of no confidence after speaking against the last legislation. He's a lecturer in Politics at Reading, did his DPhil at Oxford. He's a conservative evangelical and heads Anglican Mainstream.
Dr Paula Gooder*
A good egg, who I first heard of because my mum did a course with her. Biblical scholar, edited a book arguing for women's leadership on the basis of Scripture after November's vote. Now on Twitter as @paulargooder. She is Canon Theologian of Birmingham and Guildford, and Theologian to the Bible Society
The Ven Christine Hardman *
Another with a Wikipedia article.. She's now retired but was Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich. She was a deaconess for 3 years before being in the first tranche of female deacons and priests. She is Prolocutor of Convocation of Canterbury. The BBC has a clip of her and John Broadhurst on a 2008 synod vote on women bishops, but it's not compatible with my tablet so I haven't watched it.
Dr Jamie Harrison
Is chair of the House of Laity in the diocese of Durham. But that's all I've found so for.
The Rt Revd James Langstaff (Chair)*
Is Bishop of Rochester. An interview with a local paper after his appointment in 2011 reveals an interest in Affordable Housing.. Lay Anglicana did not find much about himto build profile, other than educated at Oxford (PPE) and St John's Nottingham and the intervieq aboce.. Laura thought he might be Anglo-Catholic due to an ARCIC reference, but St John's Nottingham suggests evangelical to me.
Mrs Susannah Leafe
A lay member of Synod. A Guardian story from last July quotes her as calling for a no vote saying:
"If you wish to be gracious, please vote against because ... this measure does not provide proper provision for those in either the anglo-Catholic or conservative evangelical members of our family. They've made that very clear,"
She is listed in the Working Party report on woman bishops as having given evidence on behalf of Reform and the Church Society (link to Thinking Anglicans html upload of the pdf). This means that she is a supporter of Male Headship. I struggle to understand how a woman who believe in Male Headship can justify voting against the majority of bishops - "I'll follow, if I think you're going the right way". She is on the Council of Reform though listed as Susie there.
The Revd Dr Rosemarie Mallett*
According to the Southwark Press release when she was deaconed at Michaelmas 04 she was born in Barbados and has a PhD in Sociology and a first degree in history and French. she took over as chair of AffCath last Sept.
Canon Margaret Swinson*
As well as being on synod, where she is vice-chair of the Council of Christian Unity, she is involved in Anglican-Roman Catholic Conversations From Worcestershire, went to Liverpool as a student did not leave.
The Revd Preb Roderick Thomas
Represented Reform & Church Society in giving evidence to the Working Party. He is the chairma of Reform and Vicar of St Matthew's Elburton whose Spring termcard (Jan-April) suggests that it sits lightly to the lectionary. Services are 8am BCP communion, 1030 Morning Worship (Communion 4th Sunday), 1700 Evening Prayer, BCP, with HC 1st Sunday and an informal 7pm service.
The Rt Revd Dr Martin Warner*
Former Administrator of the Shrine at Walsingham, then Bishop of Whitby, now Bishop of Chichester. Tweets as @MartinWarner. Forward in Faith. Wikipedia says he trained at Staggers have studied in Durham
The Rt Revd Trevor Willmott
BIshop of Dover.Wikipedia reveals that he studied at St Peter's Oxford as an undergraduate and then trained at Westcott It also mentioned Fitz, but that isn't necesarily a strong link; Westcott isn't a college (and Cambridge doesn't have the PPH category Oxford does) so if ordinands are doing Tripos and if they aren't linked to another college Fitz is the default option.
The Revd Canon Dr Dagmar Winter
The Very Reverend Vivienne Faull (Consultant)*
Those members er s marked * were on the Working Party which met after November