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THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN AND THE ANGLICAN-EPISCOPAL EXPERIENCE: THE ROAD TO SCHISM
By C. Raymond Holmes, D.Min.
A Case Study prepared for The Biblical Research Institute of The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
INTRODUCTION
In January, 1987, this writer received a reply from the Rev. James Brice Clark in answer to a request for information concerning the experience of the Episcopal Church with respect to the ordination of women priests. Included in his reply was the following:
[The ordination of women to the priesthood] was a tragic decision for our church. . . there has been one conflict after another...unfortunately the bishops have been for it, this is an ultra liberal body... I can't tell you what a mess it is.
1 No greater example of polarization over this issue is available than that of the Anglican-Episcopal Church.
2The ordination of women to the Episcopal priesthood has shaken the ecclesiastical structure of the Episcopal Church and has put that Church on the agonizing road to schism.
The format of this case study will be:
1- A survey of contemporary events connected with the ordination of women in the Episcopal experience,
2- A survey of divergent approaches to the Bible the issue has exposed,
3- A brief survey of the issue in the Church of Sweden, and,
4- Conclusions and implications that may help the Seventh-day Adventist Church avoid the turmoil
and schism which our Episcopal brethren have suffered.
You can read more here:
https://www.adventistarchives.org/the-ordination-of-women-and-the-anglican-episcopal-experience.pdf
