It seems to be common ground that the advent of women bishops will bring to an end the uneasy truce provided by the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993, which exploited all available room for manoeuvre to enable women to be ordained as priests. Consecrated Women? acknowledges that existing safeguards provided for parishes within the 1993 Measure will need to be repealed, in order to facilitate the ministry of women as bishops in the Church of England.

It is humbling to have been invited. It is also encouraging to see so many friends and gratifying to hear reports of the impact of our conferences and projects. One of the Archbishops here attended one of Ekklesia’s first conferences years ago when he was still a layman. Another Archbishop who was at that same conference as a priest said he still uses the principles he received those years ago. Many spiritual partnerships already exist, but there are real needs for more of them.

Over the past year, Bishop Smith has taken no overt action against us and has genuinely, I think, sought to find a middle ground. The problem is that DEPO is fatally flawed, it allows an orthodox bishop to perform ceremonial functions, but all power and authority rests with the Diocesan. Additionally, DEPO, as it is structured by the HOB is temporary and is intended to result in reconciliation. Unfortunately reconciliation is understood to mean that revisionist doctrine prevails.

So, what do the Christian conservatives really want?

[b]Pro-Marriage and Pro-Life[/b]
The two moral issues most highly identified with Christian conservatives are their desire to protect unborn children and their desire to protect the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. To begin with, they want jurists who faithfully interpret the Constitution and the law – not jurists who invent constitutional rights to secure their own social objectives.