Archbishop Favours Women Taking Part In Services

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1949, Page 5

Archbishop Favours Women Taking Part In Services

[N.Z.P.A. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT] LONDON, May 19 (Rec. 9 a.m.).— Both the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr G. F. Fisher) and the Bishop of Bristol (Dr F. A. Cockin) opposed a majority resolution o£ a .joint committee of the Synod, which recommended to the Upper House of the Convocation of Canterbury that women should not be allowed to conduct prayers or give addresses m the Church of England. The committee reported that opinion on the matter was sharply divided, but that the majority thought that allowing licensed laywomen to take part in statutory services of the Church would be a departure from the age-long order of church life which would tend to cause a disturbance and become a hindrance to the reunion of Christendom. , The minority thought that there were no grounds for refusing the right of well qualified lay women to assist in the services, and they did not admit that any such permission involved the question of admitting women to the priesthood. The Bishop of Southwark (Dr B. F. Simpsom), who presented the repor said that it represented a complete impasse. The objection oi the majority to the participation oi women was that it would be a break with the tradition of the Church. . The Bishop of Bristol said that the report supported sex discrimination. He thought that its psychological effect upon the attitude ol women to the Church would be lamentable. The Archbishop of Canterbury said that the fundamental question was whether a woman, by her own nature, was incapable of leading prayers in church, reading the word of God, or giving an address. He was bound to say that there was no ground on which it was conceivably possible to say that these were things women could not do. There was nothing which forbade a woman who was suitably qualified from taking part in the services of the Church. It would be disastrous if they appeared unwilling to accept this aid from qualified women if there were a need for it. Further discussion was adjourned so that the matter might be referred to the Lower House. -