Yesterday Rod Thomas, head of the conservative evangelical Reform group and prominent member of Anglican Mission in England was announced as the next Bishop of Maidstone - the "headship" bishop promised during the process toward consecrating women as bishops in the CofE. He will offer oversight to Anglican churches who do not feel able to accept the authority of a woman bishop Quite a number of women and men in the Church of England have lamented this move over the past 24 hours, fearing that it only serves to entrench difference and continues to support a theological position which is inimical to the flourishing of women within our denomination.
I do not particularly want to talk about that. I want instead to talk about the response to that lament. Because in conversations on social media where women have expressed concern about this appointment, there has been a distinct backlash.
The first theme of this backlash goes something like this: "Rod Thomas is a Christian brother who holds sincere beliefs and has always been gracious to me despite our difference". Good - I am delighted to hear it. However, what is causing me distress is not the sincerity of Rod Thomas' beliefs, but the consequences of those beliefs. Headship theology has a significant impact upon women and girls. Rod Thomas may well be extremely gracious to colleagues and acquaintances with whom he differs, but the theology he publicly chooses to promote creates churches with a culture where women cannot grow fully to maturity as Christian leaders. Even if not called to leadership, women and girls under the authority of "headship" churches learn to distrust their own voice, power and agency - learning that it is God's plan that their own authority is subjected to that of their brothers or else things will go badly wrong. Of course, where a woman is a gifted leader and cannot find a way to exercise that gift in an open and healthy way, the risk is that she will end up expressing her gift in unhealthy ways, thus reinforcing the notion that women are not fit to lead! Her other option is to leave and find a congregation who will support her flourishing, but this again can be a costly and wounding course of action. I know - I was that woman. So Rod Thomas may be a very sincere man indeed, and a delight to share a cuppa with at Diocesan events, but I would not wish my daughters to grow up in a church under his authority or shaped by his theology of gender.
The second theme of the backlash is that we should be more cognisant of the pain of our conservative Evangelical sisters and brothers who feel marginalized within their church. And I do feel sorry for their pain. They are my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I will pray for them, listen to them, celebrate common ground with them, eat with them, worship with them... But I will not cease to exist for them. It would also be good if our ConEvo brothers and sisters would genuinely listen to some of the stories of woundedness from our side too. Just because there are soon to be three women consecrated Bishop does not mean that all the pain women have endured for decades and centuries in the church miraculously disappear. Nor does it mean that gender equality has been achieved. Levels of young vocations amongst women are much lower than amongst their male counterparts. Female incumbents and senior staff are greatly outnumbered by their male counterparts. There is much to be done - many barriers to be dismantled - many injustices to be righted. I feel for my conservative Evangelical friends' pain, but the pain of the many women denied equality and encouragement in the church remains a big issue too.
Lastly, the backlash consists of a gently reproving suggestion that we should be "better behaved". Our emotions, our anger, our lament are just too uncomfortable for others to bear. Stop making a fuss. Calm down, dear. Count your blessings... You have women bishops - the gender debate is over. This was part of the deal. Quit rocking the boat! But was it? What the cost of women bishops the fact that women could nevermore express their dissatisfaction at inequalities in the church? Was the cost that we could never share our pain at the appointment of Bishops who deny either our sacramental efficacy or spiritual authority? Is it truly that the Church has thrown its daughters the scraps from the table and we should be grateful? Or like the encounter between Jesus and the Syro-Phonecian woman (to which, of course I am alluding) will our brothers in the Church do us the honour of truly listening, truly allowing our voices to change the way they are, truly treating us as equals. Or will they continue to silence the women of the Church of England?
