What's the Big Deal About Women's Ordination?

I, too, used to wonder why some are so adamant against women’s ordination. So I think an explanation might be helpful.

Here’s my first post on the Mere Anglicanism situation.

Here’s that letter from Chip Edgar, the Bishop of South Carolina.

Here’s a more balanced statement from Forward in Faith, N. A.

(A note to avoid possible misunderstanding: Those in the photo are NOT from ACNA.)

That letter from Bishop Todd Hunter to his C4SO clergy is significant enough that I will post the text. I read it with pointed comments during the podcast. Here it is:

Dear Clergy,

I write today to celebrate and encourage our female clergy. C4SO is blessed and privileged to have as colleagues dozens of godly, Spirit-anointed, fruitful women in Holy Orders. They serve as Deacons, Priests, Rectors, Deans and in key roles on our Ministry Team. They are among my most trusted advisors. You can find C4SO’s permanent and livable views and values regarding women in leadership here.

None of this will surprise you, but it needs to be reinforced today because of derogatory comments toward women clergy made by a speaker at last week’s Mere Anglicanism, one of the most notable conferences within the ACNA. I did not attend the conference, and I did not hear the talk, but several C4SO leaders have brought the matter to my attention.

Today I saw a letter from Bishop Chip Edgar of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina to his clergy. I cite it here as an example of best practices within the challenge of "dual integrity."

Our women pay a high price for being in ACNA. On the matter of Holy Orders, they are talked about but rarely listened to. For men in ACNA, dual integrities is a concept. For women, it can be a dehumanizing tool for rejection.

I will not publicly comment on the Mere Anglicanism lecture because 1) I do not want to reward bad behavior; 2) I don't want to respond to the anxious reactivity of our denominational system; 3) no new historical, exegetical, lexical or hermeneutical claims were made. Had the speaker made claims to new ground, our Canon Theologians and I would write something in response in good faith.

Please join me today in giving thanks to God for our female clergy. Call, text or email one of them to express your love, respect and solidarity.

I am better, and C4SO is better, because we work as one—lay and clergy, female and male.

Grace and peace,

Bishop Todd Hunter

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Welcome to those who came here from the excellent open letter at the North American Anglican.

I’m confident you know the following already, but just in case . . . I am not “another bishop.” That is Todd Hunter, who wrote the above letter to C4SO clergy. I am not a bishop, for which we are all thankful.