MINISTRY OF WOMEN

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 26, Issue 3, 1 March 1936, Page 4

MINISTRY OF WOMEN

The report of the Archbishops' Commission on the Ministry of Women is published by the Press and Publications Board of the Church Assembly. The Commission outline suggestions for developing the office of deaconess fully m connection with the conduct of services m Church and preaching, and claim recognition for the Order of Deaconesses "as the one existing Holy Order for women, but after full consideration — do not feel able m view of the past history and existing conditions of the Christion Church to recommend the admission of women to the priesthood." They recommend "that lay women, provided always they are personally suitable and that they are adequately trained, should be eligible for all Such offices and duties m the Church as are open to laymen." The chairman of the Commission was the Bishop of Carlisle (Dr. H. H. Williams) and the other members were the Bishops of Blackburn, Peterborough and South wark, the Dean of St. Paul's, the Archdeacon of Auckland, Canon L. W. Grensted, Canon J. K. Mozley, Dr. Cyril Bailey, Miss C. M. E. Burrows, Lady Hoskyns, Miss D. L. Swayne and Head Deaconess Margaret Wordsworth. The report states m its iritroduc-tioni-r-

"The Gospels show us that our Lord regarded men and women alike as members of the same spiritual kingdom as children of God's family and as possessors of the same spiritual capacities. Women were freely accepted as our Lord's disciples and ministered to His needs. Therefore from the first the place of women m the Christian community was assured, but it remained, and indeed still remains, necessary to discover and determine how they may best share m the work and mission of the Church — In our opinion it should be recognised that a deaconess is m Holy Orders, and that the 'grace of orders' is bestowed upon her by the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands with prayer. This Order should not be regarded as equivalent with the diaconate of men, but rather as the one existing Holy Order for women. It should, however, carry with it recognition of the deaconess as one of the clergy, together with such consequences as follow m respect of precedence and membership of ecclesiastical bodies. We think that a service for the ordination of a deaconess should be included along with the other ordination services m the Ordinal. We are of opinion that the functions of the deaconess should include the right by authorisation of the bishop (i) to read the services of Morning and Evening Prayer and the Litany, except for those portions reserved to the priest, and to lead m prayer, (ii) to instruct and preach, except m the service of Holy Communion, (iii) to officiate at the Churching of Women, (iy) m the absence of the priest to baptise infants, and (v) where there may be. special need, as for instance m girls' schools and women's colleges, to administer the chalice. We are of opinion that she would be allowed with the authorisation of the bishop to exercise these functions m consecrated as well as unconsecrated buildings." The report also recommends that women should be eligible for the office of lay reader, and that authority should be given to some to preach, take occasional services and conduct retreats. Other suggestions include a trained woman worker for every important parish; trained women lecturers m theology and a Board of Women's Work for each diocese; a

new training college; and the provision m secondary schools and universities of women qualified by theological study ..and personal character to exercise pastoral care and to teach religion. The final section of the summary of conclusions of the report states: — "We believe that the right solution of the whole problem of the ministry of women m the Church m the circumstances of the present day is to be found m the development of the status and functions of the deaconess, and m the further extension of the various opportunities open to lay women workers, rather than m an assimilation of the functions of women to those of men. We are convinced none the less that Christian principles require that the Church should secure for women as full opportunities and scope for the exercise of their characteristic gifts and capacities m its ministry as it secures for men m the exercise of theirs." December, 1935.