The “overwhelming majority” of women in a Church of England diocese support the appointment of their new bishop, despite his choice not to ordain female priests, according to a female Reverend.
This is despite anger from some campaigning groups, one of which described the decision to appoint The Right Reverend Philip North, the former Bishop of Burnley, as “deplorable” when he was promoted earlier this week (Tuesday, January 10).
Reverend Anne Beverley, dean of women’s ministry in the Blackburn diocese, said while she understood some of the criticism, many people were supportive of the appointment.
She said: “The sense we’re getting on the ground from the women in Blackburn diocese is the overwhelming majority of them are in support of this appointment.
“Clearly there are a few who are going to find this difficult. We’re working with them, we’re helping them and providing support for them.
“I’m not recognising any distrust on the ground in Lancashire.”
The Right Reverend Dr Jill Duff, Bishop of Lancaster, added that the response to the appointment was “one of joy” and women have celebrated the decision.
“We know that some will find it difficult so we’ve already offered open channels to talk about it – there’s a couple of people having conversations,” she said.
“But I wouldn’t say there’s been a backlash.
“We don’t really feel like those two national groups are representing what is happening on the ground.”
Despite the positive reaction locally, national groups have expressed their concern over the appointment.
Women and the Church (WATCH), a national campaign group for gender equality in the Church of England, said while they recognise Bishop Philip’s “many gifts” and are aware he has been supportive of women in a range of ministerial posts, they cannot support the nomination based on a number of issues.
These included that some female clergy would struggle to flourish under the oversight of a bishop who does not personally recognise the ordination of women, and the fact Bishop Philip is a member of and on the council of The Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda (SSWSH).
SSWSH is a network of clergy who do not share in the Eucharist when it is presided over by a female priest, a male priest ordained by a female bishop, or by any bishop, male or female, who has ordained women.
Reverend Martine Oborne said: “I find it undermining to explain to members of my congregation that some of my clergy colleagues, including bishops, would not receive bread and wine that I had consecrated.
“Nonetheless, this is a heavy burden to carry and makes me feel that I am a second-class priest, and I fear some female clergy with diocesan bishops who don’t recognise their ordinations, no matter how supportive they are, may feel this even more.”
Bishop Philip was nominated to become Bishop of Sheffield in 2017, but withdrew from the process after protests by female clergy and other churchgoers.
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