Saturday, January 19, 2013

Time for England to follow Africa, says cleric


A leading Church of England cleric has called on Anglicans in that country to follow the example of the church in Africa by consecrating women bishops.
Canon John Ford was representing the Archbishop of York at the consecration and installation of the Right Reverend Margaret Vertue as bishop of the diocese of False Bay.
She is the second woman to be consecrated as bishop in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, following Bishop Ellinah Wamukoya of Swaziland, who was consecrated last year.
Bishop Vertue was consecrated by the Archbishop of Cape Town and metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, the Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba, at a service at the University of Stellenbosch. 
The consecration of Bishop Wamukoya and now Bishop Vertue signals a progressive moment for the church in Africa, in the face of a decision by the Church of England last year not to approve the consecration of women bishops.
The difference in policy on women bishops was the subject of comments by speakers at Bishop Vertue's installation, with Methodist bishop Michel Hansrod saying the ordination of women was a privilege not shared by all.
In his comments, Canon Ford expressed the hope that the Church of England may shortly follow the example of Anglicans in Africa.
"Where Africa leads, England may follow," he told Bishop Vertue, asking her to "pray for us in England in our brokenness that we soon may celebrate this day".
Bishop Vertue, who succeeds retired Bishop Merwyn Castle, was one of the first two women ordained as priests at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town in September 1992, shortly after the Anglican Church of Southern Africa revoked its law banning women from being ordained.
In comments following the consecration of Bishop Vertue, Archbishop Makgoba said that there are 38 independent provinces within the Anglican communion worldwide.
“The debate in the Church of England was not lost because the majority of people don’t want to arrive there (but) it was about the numbers game. But we should look at our journey: We are at this stage in terms of our journey and witness in terms of the ordination of women bishops; they are at that stage.
“We just need to do what God has called us to do in a Godly manner and, hopefully, some will follow. There are areas where we follow and there are areas where we have to lead. That is the joy of the Anglican church.”
Asked if there is a space for Anglicans in Africa to be ministering to the church in the developed world, Makgoba said the Global Christian Forum presented an opportunity to ensure that Africa’s understanding of God was communicated in the development of theology globally. - Ray Hartle