These days, almost all executive teams or job shortlists will include at least one woman. Amongst the six Metropolitan police commissioners there is one woman; four out of 22 cabinet ministers are female; and even the committee tasked with selecting the new Anglican leader (the Crown Nominations Commission) has ensured that three of the 16 voting individuals are women. Let’s hope this is more than mere tokenism.Yet the line-up of potential candidates to become the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of this year comprises of men, men and more men. Nor is this something that’s about to change either; without such thing as a female bishop (the rung below) there won’t be an Arch one any time soon.
The issue of whether to consecrate women bishops has dogged the beleaguered Rowan Williams throughout his tenure and will be lying in wait for his replacement: one of his very first tasks will be managing the fallout from the General Synod’s final vote on the matter in November.
With the reformers poised for victory, it’s fairly certain that the new Archbishop will sooner or later welcome the first lucky lady to join the 99 men in the House of Bishops. The candidate favoured by the progressive churchwoman then, is the one willing to make life as easy as possible for the said ‘bishopess’ when she arrives; the one prepared to overhaul an Episcopal system designed by men for men.
More here-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/9598573/If-not-a-woman-Archbishop-at-least-an-Archbishop-for-women-please.html
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