The CofE’s female clergy muddle is not sustainable

It’s thirty years since the first women were ordained as priests of the Church of England. For ten years, there have been women bishops too. Well, at least one aspect of the Church’s reform is done and dusted. 

Cue hollow laughter from those acquainted with the strange intricacy and agony surrounding this seemingly simple reform. In reality it was a Pyrrhic victory for the liberals that left them deeply demoralised. Not being much of a feminist (or a traditionalist), I was slow to tune in to this story. But its dark fascination gradually drew me, like an ecclesiastical car crash.

What happened is this: opponents of the change were allowed to stay in place. More than stay in place: they were allowed to form a structure of their own, with their own bishops. At first these were known as ‘flying bishops’, as they were not confined to a particular area, but could oversee parishes scattered in various dioceses.