Commission on Church unity

Press, 15 September 1988, Page 26

Commission on Church unity

By

HELENA WISNIEWSKI

NZPA London A Church of England commission will examine the threat to Church unity posed by the likely consecration of women bishops in such countries as the United States, Canada and New Zealand. The seven-member commission was set up by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, and will meet for the first time in London in November. It is the Church’s response to a resolution at the Lambeth Conference in July, where the 27 autonomous provinces in the Anglican communion agreed to respect the different positions on women priests and to work on maintaining unity. New Zealand has had women priests for more than a decade and legislation allowing the appointment of women bishops is expected to come into force by May, 1989. New Zealand’s primate, Archbishop Davies, said at the Lambeth Conference that New Zealand did not

intend to reverse its decision to allow women bishops eventually. In the United States, the Rev. Barbara Harrison, of Massachusetts, was widely expected to be consecrated this year. But according to the “Independent” newspaper, it is now thought the Episcopalian Church may hold back until the commission established guidelines to help other churches respond. British activists who support the ordination of women were sceptical about the make-up of the commission. It will be led by the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev. Robert Eames, and includes bishops from countries such as Nigeria, Australia, Canada and the United States. "It is a little bit light on bishops who have actual experience of women priests,” one spokeswoman complained. The commission has been asked to report before women are appointed.