ITEMS OF INTEREST February 13, 2006 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

with contributions from Jonathan Petre, Jennifer Flowers

"THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND raised the prospect of its first female Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday in proposals aimed at smoothing the path towards women bishops. The proposals by a working party of the House of Bishops said all episcopal posts should be open to women if, as is expected, the historic reform is introduced by the General Synod in about seven years. ...

"A number of branches of Anglicanism in Africa and Asia still bar women from the priesthood, and a female Archbishop would be particularly sensitive for opponents of women bishops in this country.

"The new report, by a group headed by the Bishop of Guildford, the Rt. Rev. Christopher Hill, said barring women from Canterbury could fall foul of the Sex Discrimination Act. It added, however, that the Crown Nominations Commission, the body that recommends names to the Prime Minister, could be given legal authority to judge whether the Church was ready for such an appointment. ...

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