This whole discussion is about the idea that the `holy books` are some kind of handbook from some creator on how to live as a special species in this universe (why no little hints about the double helix or space?)It is almost laughable how obvious it is that they are all of their time.Wisdom? No

ken molloy, telford, england

Justice for Women? I am a woman! A strong woman!
This is God's world. God has decided what is Just. God has contempt for those who would overthrow His original design. The Just are those who meekly conform to God's will, to accept God's ultimate design, rather than their own self centred ambitions.

E. S. Kelly, Errington, Canada

Periods of transition are always difficult and inclined to cause polarisation. The challenge is to widen the circle and try to include everyone rather than to settle for exclusion. It will take a while for the idea of women bishops to gain wide accepatnce but this will come in time.

Brendan Peters, Coventry,

Anth, that's what I used to think until I realised paul had visions etc but no witnesses ! (Jesus said he needed witnesses himself so why not Paul? )Why Pauls authority when Jesus trained his 12 Apostles for 3 years himself and yet paul never has a good word to say about them ?Jesus only for me

Anna, IOW, UK

Get over it. Arguments on this are irrelevant to the world we live in, and in which we seek to serve. Justice demands women bishops. Let us turn our efforts outward rather than inward squabbling.

David, Bristol , Bristol, UK

Hi, Lizzie !
I dare not excise Paul from Holy Writ. This is a guy who was taken up into the "third heaven" by the Spirit of God, where he heard things "not lawful to repeat" ; a man whom Jesus declared to be His "chosen vessel". I fear I would be despising Christ if I ignore His messenger.

Anth, Walsall,

To Stephen, St. Ives,

Given the dictionary definition of "sect"

<(a body of persons adhering to a particular religious faith; a religious denomination.

any group, party, or faction united by a specific doctrine or under a doctrinal leader.>)

All religions are sects :-) get over it.

Alan C, Bixter, Shetland

The Church of English has lost attendees because the power and truth of God and Jesus are not observed nor preached by the leadership.

T. Graves, Edmond, OK, USA

Lizzy, Anth etc..you quote only Paul interestingly . As I am no longer a "Pauline Christian" and depend soley on the teachings of Jesus and his 12 Apostles (see Rev. where 12 are named and not 13!) I rely only on the words and actions of Jesus and his views on women were very different

Anna, IOW, UK

Like so many things, change can result in unforeseen consequences- I think the Anglican church is in danger of falling apart in liberalising so many traditions ibn the name of modernisation.

William, London, UK

Bishops, priests, preachers, imams, rabbis, male or female, they are all professional liars.

Peter Manchester, Birmingham, UK

If the Church won't remain true to basic beliefs and commands in the Bible, what is the point of worship and the church anyway? You may as well just make up your own Bible since you really aren't following it anyway. I don't understand why the apostate don't leave instead.

Mark Yancey, Eagan, USA

Yeah, it's not like women are real people or anything.

All religions belong to the Dark Ages, and that's where they are hell bent on dragging us back.

thalia, london,

Clergy think only men can have the benefit of God's vision.

The Anglican church in the UK on its knees via lack of attendees.

Any connection?

If I had a kid, I wouldn't send them to hear such moronic claptrap.

Would you?

Rhys Jaggar, Leeds, UK

The C of E had soon best grow up and join the 21st Century. Wasting time discussing such irrelevancies will not increase congregations! What counts, irrespective of gender is the ability to be an efffective leader as well as being in touch with people at ground level.

Andy Harding, Plymouth, UK

At the temple or tabernacle under the Jewish arrangement, no women performed priestly duties, in fact there were certain areas of the temple where they were forbidden. This did not change after Christ as evidenced in scripture. 1Cor 11:3 1Cor14:4 1Tim2:11,12
True Christian women honour this.

Lizzy, Perth, UK

Too many egos on both sides.Christianity seems to have two choices;either the Catholic approach of burying its head in the sand against all reality;or the protestant one of embracing every trend,fashion and (seeming) contradiction to the point of irrelevance,and devoid of any meaning at all

Richard, Bexhill, UK

Graham,
Regardless of their unacceptableness to modern Whiteworld, we must either obey the Scriptures or "improve" them, which the Bible explicitly forbids. We dare not recreate God in the image of man; we are called to be a "peculiar" people who refuse to conform to the ways of this world.
Ouch!

Anth, Walsall,

What a waste of time, religion. These people should all go home. They live in a self-fullfiling cycle of deception, all based in a book that is a compilation of primitive stories, the bible.

There is no god, so why do we need religion?

There is enough people out there distorting reality.

Raul, London, UK

Stephen Holmes (& others) miss the point of this debate. If it were simply one of gender equality, the Anglican Church would probably have ordained women as priests by the 60's. It is for many a profoundly spiritual question, not one of temporal, secular argument. Belief was never meant to be easy.

Simon, Redhill, England

Having no validity of orders, these Anglican 'priests' and 'bishops', whether man, woman, animal or vegetable, have no sacramental power nor authority and for us Catholics these developments are absolutely irrelevant. It's in the nature of protestantism to split, split, split and split again.

Benedict Carter, Moscow, Russia

A reply to Stephen Holmes, Withington, UK. The Dark Ages of the popular imagination didn't happen, as for the church becoming reactionary in order to stay relevant, that assumes that society, culture and history move in a direction, i.e. forwards or backwards. Wars are not fought over religion.

Chris, Liverpool, UK

This could turn the Church of England into little more than a sect.

Stephen, St. Ives, England

Well, here is my say: I find it rather contradictory and perplexing that there would be such outcry against women bishops and priests. Why? Well, a woman, Queen Elizabeth is head of the church and isn't she a woman. Come on old foggies, get over it and let the church live.

Vincent, Houston, Texas, United States of America

As I have said previously what bearing has this on everyday life for most people if the clergy ( men or woman) had any courage they would review the family law crisis in this country which is the scurge of our society leading to the disfunction of the young and leading to the crimes we hear about.

Dave Farmer, Broxbourne, England

Lionel, NY, "Feminists (read: women) are aggressive and bullies" - in the context of patriarchal Christianity and its highly misogynist history, I've not laughed so much in ages

Claudia, Norwich,

These bishops are quite happy for women to clean churches,arrange flowers,play the organ,teach in Sunday School,raise funds ,sew for the panto,supervise the nursery,edit Parish magazines,ring the bells,sell Xmas cards - better than RC nuns who allow Papist Prelates to treat them as doormats.

alan routledge, chester, england

Who cares? They're all weirdos. I was told that Jesus was promoted the son of God about 200 years after his death by Constantine the Great as it was politically expedient to do so at the time. Until then he was a prophet and teacher

Bob, Cowes, UK

Interesting that so many male clergy felt so threatened by women entering the profession in the first place and now so many more are threatened by the possibility that women may be given the opportunity to join the episcopate, it's enough to spoil any misogynist's day.

Richard Warren, Newark, United States

Of all the atrocities and injustices in the world that deserve to be brought to public attention, this load of tripe makes the news. Let them squabble amongst themselves and scratch their heads over their petty dogmatic customs; some of us have more fulfilling, rational lives to lead.

Louise, Manchester, England

So women are supposed to abide by the attitudes of the time when the Bible was written and "keep silence in the churches"?! The C of E would rather hang on to a mindset from 2000 years ago than live in the modern world. It's an absolute disgrace and is why I have no respect for the Church.

Claire, London, UK

Those having a problem with women priests or bishops automatically have a problem with the model set by Jesus Christ and his apostles. If you're familiar with the New Testament - few people are - you'll know this is a non-negotiable matter that can't be changed by the will of man.

Robert Harris, London, England

The CofE was formed for people who hold their allegiance to their country above the teachings of their faith (Otherwise, what was the reformation all about?)

So now the law says equal treatment for women, so do it!

Same goes for any religious person using gender, race or faith to discriminate.

Pedro, Stratford,

Andy Harding says: 'Whether male or female Bishops is a totally redundant argument. What counts is leadership qualities and being in touch with people at the ground level.'

Surely this is one of the strongest reasons for allowing women as well as men to be eligible to become bishops?

Alan Zanker, Leeds,

Why does the sex of the agent of god matter - it is the belief in the Christian religion that counts.
It really is time that all Christians put aside their minor childish squabbles and came together as an united Christian church with rules we can all live with.
United we stand, divided we fall.

Paul Barrett, Valletta, Malta

The Church should be spending its time positively discussing the things that really matter in the 'real world', and not wasting time over such irrelevancies as that currently under discussion. What matters is leadership qualities and being able to be in touch with the common good at all levels.

Andy Harding, Plymouth, UK

Whether male or female Bishops is a totally redundant argument. What counts is leadership qualities and being in touch with people at the ground level. The C of E is yet again wasting it's time on total irrelevancies. Grow up and join the 21st Century!

Andy Harding, Plymouth, UK

This "story" is not worth reporting. The Church is already irrelevant. It's atrocious that the House of Lords gives seats to bishops purely on the grounds of their superstitious, Dark Ages beliefs .

Sarah , Henley , Oxon

With the level of suffering present in our world it is stupid that the churches spend time agonising over such matters. What is important is that they give leadership, whether from men or women is irrelevant, as is what they are called. Draw inspiration from what we know now, not what we knew then.

David N House, Wisbech,

Truly, the bottom line is this: if a Christian Church wants to appoint female priests and Bishops it MUST abandon the Old and New Testaments. Both are based on the principle of male dominance that is found in all pre-Christian mythologies. A new Church is maybe needed, But it can't be Christian.

Bill, Suzhou, China

The church is actually dividing on a line that is not actually part of this debate - those on the one side who belive in a transcendant God external to themselves and derive certitude from that and those that have certitude in faith in faith internally.

Alan Webster, Suffolk, UK

Congregations will continue to go their Parish Church as they have done for hundreds of years. The Church of England is not facing ruin, the clergy may be changing but the church (the people) will always be here in the parishes.

Annie, Basildon,

The Church of England seems to be stuck in the dark ages!
Move with the times or else become irrelevant
There are more wars over religion than many other causes.

Stephen Holmes, Withington , UK

Graham
The Bible says(1 Corinthians 14:34)"Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but to be under obedience, as also saith the Law" (the reference is to Genesis 3:16);1 Timothy 2:12 I suffer not a woman to teach or usurp authority over the man."

Anth, Walsall,

Can anyone enlighten me: where does the Bible forbid women to lead worship? If they are forbidden, there should be no women priests. If they are not forbidden and can be priests, why can they not be bishops?

Graham Howells, Monmouth, UK

Surely God will not allow his chosen people to destroy each other ?
Or do you think he knows something we do not ?

Peter Bolt, Redditch, UK

And the Cof E no doubt wonders why it can not connect with the ordinary membeers of this country.The greatest turn off is to see and hear these ridiculous traditionalists dress in robes and claiming Christ had no women as disciples.At the Second Coming He will only travel on donkey..

p robinson, audierne, France

Can't this feminist movement leave anything alone? They're making more enemies than winning people over onto their cause. They're aggressive and bullies.

lionel, ny,

Graham
The Bible says(1 Corinthians 14:34)"Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but to be under obedience, as also saith the Law" (the reference is to Genesis 3:16);1 Timothy 2:12 I suffer not a woman to teach or usurp authority over the man."

Anth, Walsall,

The Anglican Church Is Dead,You Cannot Alter The Bible Mankind Is Attempting To Interpret It To Suit Modern Day,
But Alas You Cannot Say Its About Time We Had Woman Priests Just Because Men Have Led The Church.
Interpretetions Have Been Wrong,Its All Gone awry,There Are Distant Dangers I.E Islam.

Thomas, Surbiton, England

Coverage has focussed upon those who are opposed to the consecration of women bishops. What about those who are in favour? What about the feelings of many women priests who have been allowed to become clergy, yet treated as not quite grown-up enough for episcopal leadership? How do they feel?

Rev Dr Neil Mancor, Montreal, Canada

When people chose to ignore the day of rest, family life went out of the window. Sunday became a day to spend in TESCOS & other super store around the country. People gave up Religion, for money & dumped family life. Now it is replaced with crime & violence & Christianity dumped.

Daphne Kenward, Cambridge, UK

Beyond the Epistles, which I set aside here, we may acknowledge the weight of tradition in shaping us all, inside & out. Nature assigns different roles to men & women in child-bearing. CG Jung finds psychological differences between the sexes. Women priests are a great step. So now WAIT.

Ernest Werner, Trumansburg NY, USA