Female Bishop for Church of Ireland.

One wouldn't have thought that the appointment of a Bishop for the Church of Ireland's Diocese of Meath and Kildare would have raised a great deal of public attention, but it has. The original appointee, Archdeacon Leslie Stevenson, who had been elected in January of this year, subsequently declined the appointment after aspects of his personal life came to the fore. One would have thought that the reconvened Electoral College would have then appointed a very conservative, non contentious candidate, a safe pair of hands whose appointment would have passed under the radar of the media. No one obtained the requisite majority vote and the decision passed to the House of Bishops. Equally one would have expected them to, "play safe," but they haven't. They have appointed Rev Pat Storey as the first female bishop of the Anglican Communion in the British Isles.

 

I don't but doubt that she will prove to be very capable, but I have to concede that if given a vote I would have selected a male. My decision would not have been based on theological grounds, (I wouldn't pretend to be sufficiently well read to even attempt such an argument even if I supported it). No, my decision would have been on very shallow grounds. I just don't like change. I like constancy. I like tradition.

 

I wonder whether the decision of the House of Bishops is truly reflective of the voice of the laity?