[Magdalen] 54 years a bishop...and counting

[Roger Stokes]

On 23/09/2016 23:00, Scott Knitter wrote:
> I didn't get that either; seems if his conscience would let him allow
> other bishops to ordain women, he would ordain them as well.

There are some bishops in England who will not ordain a woman to the 
priesthood but will allow women priests to minister in their diocese.  I 
believe the last two Bishops of Chichester have taken that position.  
They distinguish between the sacramental role of being the person who 
presides at the conferring of Holy Orders and the juridical role of 
being the Ordinary who licenses priests to minister in the various 
parishes.  That is seen also in the parishes which are under the 
pastoral oversight of one of the "Flying Bishops" through extended 
episcopal oversight while the diocesan bishop remains the Ordinary.

I suppose such a distinction is understandable in a country where an 
unordained woman (the Queen) is the Ordinary for various churches, the 
Royal Peculiars.

Roger