Bishops - Men & Women....

There's an old saying:  "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig...." 

Yesterday (14th July 2014) the 'governing body' of the Church of England - the General Synod - passed a motion to enable men and women to serve and minister across the whole of the CofE: to be ordained as Deacons, Priests and now Bishops.  The Legislation has been passed, and now goes before Parliament and then the Queen for their assent.  It then becomes Law, and those who are part of the selection of Bishops can now consider both men and women according to calling and gifting, and not be restricted according to gender.

Good news for those of us who - after a thorough engagement with scripture - believe this to be the right thing.

So why the pig in lipstick?

There are those who believe that to be a woman priest is impossible,  the very phrase is an oxymoron, that a woman can no more be a priest than a pig in lipstick be a lady.

So, the legislation passed contains an anomaly.  The Law will say that I am a priest and able to be a Bishop.  It will also say that I am a lipstick wearing pig.  Why? Because it contains promises of safeguarding against my porcine ministry.

Not sure I have any more words for the minute...