The appointment of the Revd Libby Lane as Bishop Suffragan of Stockport, the first ever woman bishop in the Church of England (CoE) will without doubt excite those who have pushed to have Women bishops in the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK).
This news in equal measure will irritate conservative within the ACK who had clung to the robes of tradition as their excuse, now that the CoE ‘mother church’ has changed its long held position on women episcopacy. The import of this appointment is the springing of demands for the same action in the ACK by those who adjudged the moratoria on the women bishops concentration imposed by the house of Bishops and the provincial synod October 2014 a blockade.
I agree with many calling for women Episcopacy and I am convinced it will happen. I echo the words; ‘Be comforted’, ‘it will come.’ These were prophetic words Archbishop Desmond Tutu, wrote to the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Dr John Sentamu, to, [as he puts it] ‘pour some balm’ on his ‘ ‘wounded heart’, when the General Synod rejected the proposals to ordain women bishops in November 2012. It has come at last! It will come in ACK too.
The possibility to have a woman bishop appears to divide opinions in the ACK with some feeling this is too early in the day and requires more time. The evangelical leaning bishops oppose it all together. A significant influential group thinks it is too late and should have followed the approval of the ordination of women into priesthood in 1990.
There is a growing feeling that the House of Bishops fumbled when it recommended to our provincial synod of October 2014 to issue ‘a Five (5) year moratorium on consecration of women Bishops to give time and opportunity for discussions and consensus. Why the retrogress? This once courageous and astute church whose leadership had been prophetic world wide seems to stumble at an hour of need.
There is concern that legal and constitutional citations could be an impediment to women episcopacy. According to the Article VI of our Constitution ON THE MINISTRY; Clause 4 and 5, there is a clear demarcation between the work of a Bishop and that of a Priest. In clause 4, the Bishop is referred to exclusively as male while in Clause 5, which deals with priests, the constitution recognizes that the holder of such office could be male or female.
But meeting in Nakuru under the chairmanship of the bishop of Nairobi, the chancellors [Church legal advisors] ruled that the incongruences had no weight and would present no legal impediment. Our church Constitution read properly did not explicitly bar women from being available to be elected bishops even though the language used did not consider women. They further observed that the Constitution of Kenya was against any form of discrimination based on gender in appointment to leadership position. They concluded that the church would lose against a litigant barred on gender grounds.
But in a bid to erase any grammatical ambiguities and to be clear Archbishop, the Most Rev Eliud Wabukala, wrote to the bishops of the Anglican Church of Kenya asking that they approve amendments to the language of the church’s constitution erasing any doubts that women priests are eligible for election to the episcopate.
There is a swelling tide in support for women bishops among Christians. Kenyan Anglicans are visibly ready for women bishops. Already the Diocese of Eldoret in its Synod sitting in December 2013 had approved overwhelmingly to elect women bishops. No one epitomises the mood of the support for women bishops than Rev Elijah Yego, an influential clergy of the diocese who was the face of opposition to women becoming priest, was unusually vocal in support for women bishops in this synod, having been won over by what he termed ‘their superior ministry’.
Another diocese, the Diocese of Maseno West in their August 2014 ordinary synod session, approved unanimously the ordination of women bishops. Justifying the vote the Bishop of Maseno West and Dean of the ACK, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Wasonga said the Kenyan church understood the ministry to be a functional office; “Ministry belongs to all who are baptised, be they men or women, and as such no one can deny the other an opportunity to serve in whatever capacity.” He said.
But the more significant development was the formal nomination of a woman priest Rev Canon Rosemary Mbogo, the Provincial Secretary of ACK and also chairman of NCCK, to vie for bishopric election in Embu. She was second clergy to be nominated after Rev. Dr. Lydia Mwaniki for Kirinyaga diocesan. Had she been successful we would have had our first Kenyan woman bishop in 2014 before the CoE.
Africa got its first female Anglican bishop on 18 July 2012. The Rt. Rev. Ellinah Wamukoya who was elected as fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Swaziland has roots in Kenya. She is married to Wamukoya Kadima a Kenyan agriculturist from Mumias diocese whose home is in Moi’s bridge Kitale, where she has established her home.
Bishop Elinah Wamukoya
Those within the church who want more time have viewed women bishopric to be an issue of Doctrine and Order in the church. This therefore requires consensus by the Bishops, a process that should be prudently taken. I have difficulty to separate women episcopacy issue from ordination of women into priesthood. The Lambeth Conference, in 1978, had already resolved that it was acceptable for member churches to ordain women if they chose. A long and engaged effort at Communion-wide consultation over the issue of women in the episcopacy gave rise to a report, endorsed by the Communion’s archbishops, to maintain communion as far as possible even while various churches carried on with different practices.
It was this framework that saw in 1980, the Anglican Church of Kenya agreeing in principle that women could be ordained, allowing also that each diocese remain autonomous in taking up the issue. That year, the Bishop of the Diocese of Maseno South in the Anglican Church of Kenya ordained the Rev Lucia Okuthe as priest.
I found it ironical that Kenya which ordained women ahead of the Church of England, did not begin ordaining women priests until 1994, has not articulated and prepared for women episcopacy. The Anglican Church in Australia and the Church of Southern Africa who now all have women bishops made women priests after Kenya.
Women bishops are likely to widen the already growing chasm within the more conservative Evangelical wing of the church which is gaining influence. Attempts to reach consensus among our dioceses will be a challenge. But a more daunting task will be to agree with other provinces we are in working relationship with who do not ordain women like Church of Nigeria. We may be wise to adopt the posture that each diocese is autonomous in taking their own decision on the issue, like we did on ordination of women in 1980 and avoid stifling those who have resolved to support women episcopacy.
We however need to be very cautious of being cajoled into walking away from our convictions on this because of other provinces. Bishop Bill Atwood, Bishop of the International Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America [ACNA], warned that the direction Kenya takes will impact on other provinces in the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon ). Writing in Global View this October Atwood reported that : “…bishops warned of taking action that would be in opposition to Nigeria’s position…that a decision to include women as bishops at this time would also be damaging to the Anglican Church in North America because it is such a high priority for a significant number of leaders.”
We should rather err on the side of caution rather than risk in these associations. Ephraim Radner a professor of historical theology at Wycliffe College, Toronto Canada,observed that; “Within North America, churches like the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) that have separated from the Episcopal and Canadian churches, are moving in a direction that may well prohibit women’s ordination altogether.”
Radber warned that “the already existing divide between these groups and Canterbury is likely to widen,…ordained women in ACNA and in other evangelical churches may well decide that their own vocations are better pursued back within Church of England-related Anglican churches, and one may see a strengthening of conservative female leadership there”.
We cannot abscond from responsibility of solving the issue of our own women. ACK should give premium to the voice and advice of professor Michere Mugo, Meredith Professor for teaching at Syracuse university, who writes, ” women are indispensable resource in society, constituting major driving force in every aspect of human development.”
She invites us to fight for “women inclusion in this historical process, reiterating the absolute need for their full participation, representation and empowerment in all areas of life. By insisting on locating women at their marginalisation, silencing, impoverishment and disempowerment are major barriers standing in the path of potential human development, globally, but more so in Africa, which represents the most oppressed of global humanity”.
The situation in the ACK reminds me of the counting game often played by young girls to foretell their futures …The “tinker, tailor, soldier sailor” rhyme; When shall we have a woman bishop? This year, next year, sometimes, never!
Bishop Ellina Wamukoya
Canon Francis Omondi is a priest in the anglican church of Kenya All saints Dioceese. opinions expressed here are his own.
erick O'Alindi
The Anglican Church has been in a ping-pong game in the last two centuries, mainly on the play ground of culture against the scripture. Europe (Britain) which pulls the biggest punch on the church has since the beginning on the 20th century experienced internal conflicts which has seen her members opting out of the church and embracing atheism. During the same period, African and Asian communions have seen tremendous growth and strength with numbers increasing in the church amazingly.
For Europe to maintain pews occupancy, they have tried to play “liberal”, for at least to retain the otherwise rebellious population, by veering off the scripture to embrace same sex marriage and condoning homosexuality. The near-cultureless Europe has however been not baited with this ceded grounds, instead the gay activists have seized the opportunity to use the ceded ground as a platform to drum for their acceptance by the world community. Another attempt by the England based Lamberth to stem further loss has been to toy with the ordination of female Bishops within the communion. The full glare on what ails the Church of England however is not gender issue but the inability to steadfastly stand strong in the storm of the dynamic world with the truth of the scripture to remain relevant in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Racism ails the church in Europe, while in Africa tribalism has pinned it on the ground. Jumping on the sensational issue of female episcopacy is a smokescreen, and more of a histrionic hyperbole which shall not in any way address the delicate issues that have been ailing the church for now a century.
I only stand with the House of Bishops in Kenya on one accord, that more time is needed to explore this, but only if the scripture will take the guiding star role. The issue of the country’s constitution does not arise. A church is an independent body and the same constitution has recognized that, there is nowhere the constitution is seeking to out-do the Bible or even the Quaran on how religious outfits should do internal management and administrations. But, my understanding of the Kenyan culture is that the house of bishops’ stand is not informed by the scriptural intentions rather greed and selfishness. I am not opposed to the admission of women to the episcopacy, but the idea should not be paired with the new world trend of women empowerment chorus without looking at the historical foundation of the canons that laid it bare that episcopacy shall remain a male business and the scriptural backup (which I believe strongly in is pegged on the two books of Timothy in the new testament).
As a young tot in the early ’80s I benefited from a Rev. Emily, a rare Padre who was in charge of the Sunday School Ministry under the Diocese of Maseno South. Noting that the same diocese under the courage of the late Bishop H. Okullu was the first one to ordain female pastors. But the absurdity to-date is that the number of female pastors in the ACK is thinner than other provinces in Africa which came to embrace it later. Ordaining a female Bishop hurriedly might even lead to closure of some many parishes which are already struggling. Back to the church, it’s becoming a common scene women dressing shabbily during warship time, and soon the dressing code, etiquette and general priestly grooming will be something of a public discussion. St Paul to Timothy in 1Tim. 2: 9..”I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly; not with fancy hair styles or with gold ornaments or pearls or expensive dresses,..” The common scene in any city church is an obvious contradiction of all these. St John Chrysostom, the Patriarch of Constantinople ran into trouble with the Empress Eudoxia just because of her extravagance.
So before we jump in to the Europe’s band wagon, lets first do self appraisals on what really needs to be done,assess our achievements so far as a church, and objectively with reference to the scriptures find the answers, and lay down terms that will govern the church with female and male episcopacy, otherwise, we shall be seeking to undo these if we rush them someday in future. Bottom-line is, the Anglican Church is a thread-bearing Yarn!
erick O'Alindi
The Anglican Church has been in a ping-pong game in the last two centuries, mainly on the play ground of culture against the scripture. Europe (Britain) which pulls the biggest punch on the church has since the beginning on the 20th century experienced internal conflicts which has seen her members opting out of the church and embracing atheism. During the same period, African and Asian communions have seen tremendous growth and strength with numbers increasing in the church amazingly.
For Europe to maintain pews occupancy, they have tried to play “liberal”, for at least to retain the otherwise rebellious population, by veering off the scripture to embrace same sex marriage and condoning homosexuality. The near-cultureless Europe has however been not baited with this ceded grounds, instead the gay activists have seized the opportunity to use the ceded ground as a platform to drum for their acceptance by the world community. Another attempt by the England based Lamberth to stem further loss has been to toy with the ordination of female Bishops within the communion. The full glare on what ails the Church of England however is not gender issue but the inability to steadfastly stand strong in the storm of the dynamic world with the truth of the scripture to remain relevant in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Racism ails the church in Europe, while in Africa tribalism has pinned it on the ground. Jumping on the sensational issue of female episcopacy is a smokescreen, and more of a histrionic hyperbole which shall not in any way address the delicate issues that have been ailing the church for now a century.
I only stand with the House of Bishops in Kenya on one accord, that more time is needed to explore this, but only if the scripture will take the guiding star role. The issue of the country’s constitution does not arise. A church is an independent body and the same constitution has recognized that, there is nowhere the constitution is seeking to out-do the Bible or even the Quaran on how religious outfits should do internal management and administrations. But, my understanding of the Kenyan culture is that the house of bishops’ stand is not informed by the scriptural intentions rather greed and selfishness. I am not opposed to the admission of women to the episcopacy, but the idea should not be paired with the new world trend of women empowerment chorus without looking at the historical foundation of the canons that laid it bare that episcopacy shall remain a male business and the scriptural backup (which I believe strongly in is pegged on the two books of Timothy in the new testament).
As a young tot in the early ’80s I benefited from a Rev. Emily, a rare Padre who was in charge of the Sunday School Ministry under the Diocese of Maseno South. Noting that the same diocese under the courage of the late Bishop H. Okullu was the first one to ordain female pastors. But the absurdity to-date is that the number of female pastors in the ACK is thinner than other provinces in Africa which came to embrace it later. Ordaining a female Bishop hurriedly might even lead to closure of some many parishes which are already struggling. Back to the church, it’s becoming a common scene women dressing shabbily during warship time, and soon the dressing code, etiquette and general priestly grooming will be something of a public discussion. St Paul to Timothy in 1Tim. 2: 9..”I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly; not with fancy hair styles or with gold ornaments or pearls or expensive dresses,..” The common scene in any city church is an obvious contradiction of all these. St John Chrysostom, the Patriarch of Constantinople ran into trouble with the Empress Eudoxia just because of her extravagance.
So before we jump in to the Europe’s band wagon, lets first do self appraisals on what really needs to be done,assess our achievements so far as a church, and objectively with reference to the scriptures find the answers, and lay down terms that will govern the church with female and male episcopacy, otherwise, we shall be seeking to undo these if we rush them someday in future. Bottom-line is, the Anglican Church is a thread-bearing Yarn!
waanglicana
Erick, In all fareness the reason why the church grew is Africa and the compoosition of this growth is Women! They are the sunday school teacherss, the lay readers and local church pastors … They are the pews andd the greatest contributers of resources that has engineered the church foorward.
See it has pleased God to endow them with spiritual gifts to lead and to minister…who are we to block their progress.
i doubt you are right about Europe its decline and present state.. and that theey are the ones pushing for women bishop. Whta would they gain if we mmade women bishops? please come down from the pedestal of west blamiing and face the truth about our state. We cannot exclude the majority iin decision and policy making organ of the church and to survive….
Francis
Kathleen
A thought provoking article Francis, you answer the question effectively, why no women bishops in ACK 40 years plus on. For a church that is traditional in tenet yet contemporary in articulation, a lot more is expected. I would say the decision on women Bishops in Kenya is long overdue, and that is that. What we should be hearing now are concrete reasons with a clear time frame as to why this debate has ossified. Rhetoric stating that we need to think long and hard about it while welcome, is simply another way of putting the whole affair “on ice” and hoping it goes away- it should not and it will not. The church needs to give institutional direction even to the state. By supporting women’s overt participation in the church mainstream, social change will be more than well managed.
Imagined horror stories of the western church and its bid to legitimize homosexuality in present day Anglican Church is just that added to the side shows on discussion about women’s dress which borders on bigotry. One wonders at these obsessions. Which is the greater evil, homosexuality and immodesty or corruption and polygamy (it would be safe to argue all) yet the church remains mum on the latter two? Surely, human beings are rational a fact that tradition and culture may find difficult to tame. You point to obstacles that can provide answers, the church’s bureaucracy and the conservatives. Yet in fact the Anglican Church is enriched and remains unique because it embraces liberal, conservative and moderate views, all driven by different methodology, but united in the proclamation of the creed each Sunday. Conservatives like Erick who though ardent and steadfast in their Christianity, remain obstinate about moving the church into the 21st century where it belongs. What would the church lose by accepting women Bishops is my question? My guess is a handful of individuals who would soon make their way back once reason prevails.
The illusion that women Bishops by their very nature or as sexualized beings will somehow cause strife and affect Anglican belief systems, and be in direct contradiction to Timothy’s teachings is misplaced and short sighted. Unless of course as the conservatives like Erick would have us believe that women Bishops wearing lipstick, pant suits and jewelry being a sore sight to the conservatives (read men) are also likely to insult their dignity before God (Last I heard God isn’t interested in outward display)!
C’mon the church in the 21st century is tolerant- no better meaning can be given to this than as you so rightly state, accepting women in this service. I therefore urge prospective women Bishops, clergy and laity to lend their voices to this discussion moving it forward, show interest, not with muted voice but sound reasoning because the church belongs to us all. A time has come to move beyond the debate and waiting, the church has scholars to critically evaluate history, it doesn’t need to take decades. A woman bishop is an idea whose time is now even in Kenya.
Kathleen
A thought provoking article Francis, you answer the question effectively, why no women bishops in ACK 40 years plus on. For a church that is traditional in tenet yet contemporary in articulation, a lot more is expected. I would say the decision on women Bishops in Kenya is long overdue, and that is that. What we should be hearing now are concrete reasons with a clear time frame as to why this debate has ossified. Rhetoric stating that we need to think long and hard about it while welcome, is simply another way of putting the whole affair “on ice” and hoping it goes away- it should not and it will not. The church needs to give institutional direction even to the state. By supporting women’s overt participation in the church mainstream, social change will be more than well managed.
Imagined horror stories of the western church and its bid to legitimize homosexuality in present day Anglican Church is just that added to the side shows on discussion about women’s dress which borders on bigotry. One wonders at these obsessions. Which is the greater evil, homosexuality and immodesty or corruption and polygamy (it would be safe to argue all) yet the church remains mum on the latter two? Surely, human beings are rational a fact that tradition and culture may find difficult to tame. You point to obstacles that can provide answers, the church’s bureaucracy and the conservatives. Yet in fact the Anglican Church is enriched and remains unique because it embraces liberal, conservative and moderate views, all driven by different methodology, but united in the proclamation of the creed each Sunday. Conservatives like Erick who though ardent and steadfast in their Christianity, remain obstinate about moving the church into the 21st century where it belongs. What would the church lose by accepting women Bishops is my question? My guess is a handful of individuals who would soon make their way back once reason prevails.
The illusion that women Bishops by their very nature or as sexualized beings will somehow cause strife and affect Anglican belief systems, and be in direct contradiction to Timothy’s teachings is misplaced and short sighted. Unless of course as the conservatives like Erick would have us believe that women Bishops wearing lipstick, pant suits and jewelry being a sore sight to the conservatives (read men) are also likely to insult their dignity before God (Last I heard God isn’t interested in outward display)!
C’mon the church in the 21st century is tolerant- no better meaning can be given to this than as you so rightly state, accepting women in this service. I therefore urge prospective women Bishops, clergy and laity to lend their voices to this discussion moving it forward, show interest, not with muted voice but sound reasoning because the church belongs to us all. A time has come to move beyond the debate and waiting, the church has scholars to critically evaluate history, it doesn’t need to take decades. A woman bishop is an idea whose time is now even in Kenya.
waanglicana
Thank you. I’m agnostic about women priests and bishops. I’m a catholic Anglican and thus I believe that ordination is ontological rather than functional. I’m hesitant about “new revelations” and I have to consider the weight of tradition. I have met some pastorally gifted ordained women but on the whole women priests over here are so involved in social activism and theological peculiarities – refusing to call Jesus Lord or God Father for instance. I’ve known one competent woman bishop who was orthodox but she has retired. There are fewer women bishops in the Episcopal Church than ten years ago and only three diocesans.
AC..
Response
Thank You for your sharing this though with me. I am refreshed and strengthened by it. I do share your misgiving about ordained women and the manufacturing chain of ‘new revelations’. The departure from tradition and revisionism we are seeing in my opinion is not confined to women, I have seen men twist this like rope makers in our village with great glee. My service among Muslims and preparation and sending out missionaries in this context bent my position to support women in ordained ministry. The understanding of our createdness Male and Female, our gifting of the Holy Spirit and His manifestation of ministry/service… and our destiny together as royal priesthood [Peter] …transformation of us believers into priest and servants to serve our God and King[Revelation]… i often find myself in Peter place since God has given them the Holy Spirit like us why should we bar them from baptism…! I think the peculiarities of theologies invented by these movements should not be embraced since they do snap us off our mooring and that spells drifting….
I think you have a point. It is one that I have considered . Certainly by baptism there is neither Jew nor Greek, Male nor female. The references to our being a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation etc also speak of our status through the waters of baptism. Certainly it is Jesus’s status as Prophet, Priest and King that we claim, but only in so far as there is only one priest, one shepherd and bishop of our souls and that is Jesus, the Anointed One. In him we are a Messianic, a “Basilius” people. Whether this suggests that all are called to the public manifestations of Christ’s ministry is the sticking point. For two thousand years beginning with the apostles, the church has said no. There are different charisms. I suppose in the end it boils down to by what authority do we do these things if we make a huge break in the Tradition.
AC
Response :
You are right in your observations and the church of all this time may not have been right about women and ministry ….
waanglicana
Thank you. I’m agnostic about women priests and bishops. I’m a catholic Anglican and thus I believe that ordination is ontological rather than functional. I’m hesitant about “new revelations” and I have to consider the weight of tradition. I have met some pastorally gifted ordained women but on the whole women priests over here are so involved in social activism and theological peculiarities – refusing to call Jesus Lord or God Father for instance. I’ve known one competent woman bishop who was orthodox but she has retired. There are fewer women bishops in the Episcopal Church than ten years ago and only three diocesans.
AC..
Response
Thank You for your sharing this though with me. I am refreshed and strengthened by it. I do share your misgiving about ordained women and the manufacturing chain of ‘new revelations’. The departure from tradition and revisionism we are seeing in my opinion is not confined to women, I have seen men twist this like rope makers in our village with great glee. My service among Muslims and preparation and sending out missionaries in this context bent my position to support women in ordained ministry. The understanding of our createdness Male and Female, our gifting of the Holy Spirit and His manifestation of ministry/service… and our destiny together as royal priesthood [Peter] …transformation of us believers into priest and servants to serve our God and King[Revelation]… i often find myself in Peter place since God has given them the Holy Spirit like us why should we bar them from baptism…! I think the peculiarities of theologies invented by these movements should not be embraced since they do snap us off our mooring and that spells drifting….
I think you have a point. It is one that I have considered . Certainly by baptism there is neither Jew nor Greek, Male nor female. The references to our being a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation etc also speak of our status through the waters of baptism. Certainly it is Jesus’s status as Prophet, Priest and King that we claim, but only in so far as there is only one priest, one shepherd and bishop of our souls and that is Jesus, the Anointed One. In him we are a Messianic, a “Basilius” people. Whether this suggests that all are called to the public manifestations of Christ’s ministry is the sticking point. For two thousand years beginning with the apostles, the church has said no. There are different charisms. I suppose in the end it boils down to by what authority do we do these things if we make a huge break in the Tradition.
AC
Response :
You are right in your observations and the church of all this time may not have been right about women and ministry ….