Strictly Come Dancing to understand Jesus. Welcome to the new Church of England

From The Telegraph-

The Church of England’s first female bishop, Libby Lane, will have divided opinion within the Church this week by suggesting her Christian faith is linked with the TV programme Strictly Come Dancing.

She told Radio Times that she is a Strictly fan, and uses dance steps to explain her relationship with God. Apparently, the bishop danced regularly for 15 years and this experience now informs much of her theology, particularly her understanding of the incarnation - the idea that God became a human in the person of Jesus.

Those who argue that men are being put off going on a Sunday by an increasingly emotional and flowery approach to ministry will no doubt shake their heads in consternation as they conjure up an image of Jesus wearing sequins and dancing the cha-cha. These are the scaremongers who lament the ‘feminisation’ of the Church and wheel out stats like 65 per cent of all church-goers are women, and that female trainee priests now outnumber male trainees two to one.

More here-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11508338/Strictly-Come-Dancing-to-understand-Jesus.-Welcome-to-the-new-Church-of-England.html

Libby Lane: ‘Whatever the Church’s failings, I really think this is where God has put me’

From The Guardian-

Libby Lane didn’t think life as the first female bishop would be easy, but she didn’t expect to be noticed on holiday. She explains how she will change the church from within – and why she can’t endorse gay marriage.

Libby and George Lane both have theology degrees from Oxford, trained to be priests at the same college, and were ordained at the same time. Yet when the couple job-shared a curacy in the early years of their married life, for many congregants Libby was, she recalled cheerfully this week, “never anything other than the curate’s wife”.

Twenty years on, the tables are turned. It is George, the jolly co-ordinating chaplain at Manchester airport, whose identity is now defined by his spouse’s job. “I’m just the husband,” he sighs theatrically when we meet this week, leaning on a cabinet by the back door of the grand Cheshire house that came with Libby’s new job as the bishop of Stockport. Just as she has broken new ground by being the first woman to reach such heights within the Church of England, George is also blazing his own trail. “I’ve been invited to join the Association of Bishops’ Wives,” he says with amusement. “They’re rewriting the handbook for me. They’re even changing the name: it will be the Association of Bishops’ Spouses from now on.”

More here-

http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2015/mar/21/first-woman-bishop-libby-lane-interview

Now that Anglican has first female bishop

From Nigeria-

The struggle to get women consecrated as bishops in the Church of England came to a close this week as the country had her first female bishop, Elizabeth Jane Holden Lane, consecrated by the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu.

Lane was born in 1966 as Elizabeth Jane Holden in Wycombe, a rural district in Buckinghamshire, England. She grew up in Glossop, Derbyshire.

In 1990, Elizabeth married George Lane, who is also an Anglican priest and currently the Coordinating Chaplain at Manchester Airport. They were among the first married couples to be ordained at the same time in the Church of England. They have two children.

Elizabeth was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1993 and as a priest in 1994. She served as a Curate at St James’ Church, Blackburn.

 Elizabeth was consecrated at York Minster on Monday, 26 January 2015 by Dr. John Sentamu, Archbishop of York.

More here-

http://www.tribune.com.ng/quicklinkss/views-com/item/28141-now-that-anglican-has-first-female-bishop

Historic ordination of first woman bishop in Church of England throws down unity challenge

From The Tablet-

The historic ordination of the first female bishop in the Church of England has already made an impact on ecumenical relations, the Catholic archbishop responsible for dialogue and unity said this week.

On Monday Revd Libby Lane was ordained and consecrated as Bishop of Stockport following the passing of legislation allowing women bishops by the Church of England’s General Synod in July last year. 

But Archbishop Bernard Longley, who is co-chairman of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (Arcic) and leads the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales dialogue and unity department, said:  “Sadly ... Bishop Lane’s consecration at York Minster serves to highlight one of the major challenges that Anglicans and Catholics in England face on the path towards full visible unity.” He added: “The ordination of women to the episcopate presents a further obstacle to achieving that unity among us for which Our Lord prayed.”

More here-

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/1688/0/historic-ordination-of-first-woman-bishop-in-church-of-england-throws-down-unity-challenge

'I never thought it would take more than fifteen years to have women bishops'

From The Guardian-

After years of struggle the Church of England consecrated its first female bishop, Revd Libby Lane, on Monday in York Minster. A momentous occasion for many who have waited for this day Revd Anna Macham, priest-in-charge at St Philip & St Mark’s in Camberwell, shares her view on the ‘new chapter’.

“Yesterday’s consecration meant more to me than I can say. In many ways it was a normal day - but while I was leading school assembly and greeting the mums doing baby Zumba in our church hall, I had half an eye on the photos and excited comments friends and fellow clergy were posting on Twitter. A normal day was rapidly transforming into the best day ever: after so many years of endless arguing, debating, preparing and praying, watching the moment when the bishops laid hands on Libby’s head felt almost life changing in its significance. It was like breathing new air.”

More here-

http://www.theguardian.com/world/guardianwitness-blog/2015/jan/28/first-female-bishop-libby-lane-consecration-anglicanism-readers-story

Libby Lane: First female Church of England bishop consecrated

From The BBC-

The Church of England has consecrated its first female bishop during a ceremony at York Minster.

The Reverend Libby Lane, 48, has been ordained as the new Bishop of Stockport in front of more than 1,000 people.

The Church formally adopted legislation last November to allow women bishops, following decades of argument over women's ordination.

Archbishop of York John Sentamu, who led the service, said he had been "praying and working for this day".

During the two-hour service Dr Sentamu and other bishops laid their hands on Mrs Lane and prayed. This was followed by lengthy applause.

More here-

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-30974547

Rt Revd Libby Lane consecrated at York Minster

From ACNS-

The Rt Revd Libby Lane has been consecrated as the first female bishop in the Church of England in a packed service at York Minster today attended by more than 100 bishops from the Church of England and women bishops from across the Anglican Communion.

In a statement shortly after being consecrated, Bishop Libby said she had been encouraged by the thousands of messages of support she has received since the news of her appointment was announced. She said:

More here-

http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2015/01/rt-revd-libby-lane-consecrated-at-york-minster.aspx

Rev Lane arrives for consecration

From The Daily Mail-

The Rev Libby Lane has arrived at York Minster to be consecrated as the Church of England's first female bishop.

Rev Lane will be consecrated as the eighth Bishop of Stockport in a service conducted by the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu.

She was named as the new bishop last month in a historic move ending centuries of all-male leadership in the Church.

More here-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2926234/C-E-greets-woman-bishop.html

and here-

http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Revd-Libby-Lane-consecrated-female-bishop-Church/story-25923092-detail/story.html

Profile: Who is Libby Lane?

From Christian Today-

A saxophone-playing Oxford graduate, Libby Lane was vicar of St Peter's, Hale and St Elizabeth's, Ashley in the Chester diocese at the time of her appointment to Bishop of Stockport.

Because she will not be a diocesan bishop, she will not be among the women bishops that will be fast-tracked into the House of Lords. Bishop of Stockport is a suffragan or assistant bishop post in her current diocese. Southwell and Nottingham is understood to have women on its shortlist for a new diocesan bishop and Oxford is also likely to consider women when its appointments process begins.

More here-

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/profile.who.is.libby.lane/46600.htm