Views about ordination of women in the CofE

• 1944: Florence Li Tim-OI ordained priest in China because there were insufficient men available who could serve the Anglicans there:

  • As soon as the war ended, she handed back her licence and returned to her role as a deaconess
  • But in 1971, when the Synod of Hong Kong and Macao accepted the ordination of women, her status as priest was officially recognised
• When was Florence Li Tim-Oi ordained priest?

  1944
• In the UK, there were decades of debate, but in 1994 the first ordination of women as priests took place. It is thought that by 2025 there will be as many women priests as male priests.
• When did the first ordinations of women as priests take place in the UK?

  1994
• Again after much debate, the first Church of England bishop (Libby Lane) was consecrated in 2015
• When was Libby Lane consecrated?

  2015
• To prevent a split in the CofE over the issue of the ordination of women, special provision was given made for those who could not accept oversight by a female bishop or the ministry of a female priest:

  • Christian communities an state they will only have a male priest serve in their church
  • Under this system of 'alternative oversight', 'flying bishops' have been appointed to exercise pastoral care for the churches that object to female ordination
  • They administer Confirmation and ordain priests to serve in those churches
  • There was been an increase in men seeking ordination under this system
• Flying bishops= appointed to exercise pastoral care for churches that object to female ordination. They administer Confirmation and ordain priests to serve in these churches
• Some priests felt unable to remain in the Church of England since 1994:

  • Many received ordination in the Catholic Church
  • In 2011, the Ordinate was set up to allow Anglican priests who were married to become Catholic priests and also to allow whole congregations to become fully Catholic but retain elements of Anglican practice