Martine Oborne Martine Oborne

Why are we still waiting?

Peggy was one of the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1994. In this reflection, she celebrates the fact that so many women have now been ordained and serve the Church. But, at the same time, she asks why we are still waiting for equality and full acceptance?

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Christine Polhill Christine Polhill

30 Years, 40 Years: And Not Equal Yet

Christine Polhill reflects on 40 years in ministry, marking 30 years as a priest in the Church of England. While the Church appears progressive, with women in senior roles, she argues that deep inequalities persist. After the 1992 vote to ordain women, opposition remained, and discriminatory practices were introduced, such as bishops being labeled "tainted" for ordaining women. Polhill is frustrated that the Church still ordains men who reject women as priests and calls for an end to this institutionalized sexism. She hopes for a future where women and men can work as equal partners in ministry.

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Rosalind Rutherford Rosalind Rutherford

What do Others Think of Us?

Rosalind Rutherford reflects on the slow progress of gender equality within the Church of England, despite the 2014 decision allowing women to become bishops. While Parliament pressured the Church to ensure women bishops were represented in the House of Lords, legislation passed in 2015 has not yielded sufficient change. Currently, only seven diocesan bishops are women, prompting another legislative extension. Rutherford critiques the Church’s internal barriers, including the role of the Crown Nominations Commission and the continued influence of those opposing women’s leadership, leading to ongoing discrimination cloaked under the term "mutual flourishing."

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