Women Bishops: Enough Waiting – Sam Follett’s message to General Synod
Monday 19th November 2012
In a new video message about the legislation for women bishops in the Church of England, Sam Follett, the youngest member of the General Synod, urges his fellow members to “vote in favour, or if you do feel unable to do so, please consider abstaining, so that we can take the next step, allow the bishops to draw up a code of practice that facilitates our journey together, and then get on with the really important stuff.”“I believe that we now have a good measure, and we have spent time enough on this. If we vote no, we set ourselves back another five years. We begin the process again, and there is by no means any guarantee that we’d end up with anything better.”
Reflecting on the possibility of the legislation being rejected, Sam says: “What a disaster it would be to find ourselves here again in five years, having made little or no progress, and spent so much more time and energy and hurt and struggle trying to find this perfect solution, but in fact having not moved forward at all.”
“A great deal of time and care has been taken to ensure that we end up with legislation that not only does what it says on the tin – enables women to be bishops – but that also allows those members of our church; those parts of us; our body, who cannot, for theological conviction, acknowledge the ministry of a bishop who is female to remain as a valued part of the Church of England.”
He concludes the video with an appeal to the wider Anglican community: “If you’re not a member of General Synod, then please, please be praying for us as we meet on the 20th November, that God’s will be done.”
The full transcript of the video is below:
Hi. I’m Sam Follett. I’m a physics student at the University of Nottingham, and also a member of the General Synod. We find ourselves at a very significant moment for our church. In two weeks’ time, we, as General Synod members, will be called upon to make a final decision regarding legislation designed to enable us to welcome women as bishops. A great deal of time and care has been taken to ensure that we end up with legislation that not only does what it says on the tin – enables women to be bishops – but that also allows those members of our church; those parts of us; our body, who cannot, for theological conviction, acknowledge the ministry of a bishop who is female to remain as a valued part of the Church of England.
It has been so important to take this time to discuss and grapple together to find the best way that we can to move forward. That’s what it means to be Anglican. But I believe that we now have a good measure, and we have spent time enough on this. If we vote no, we set ourselves back another five years. We begin the process again, and there is by no means any guarantee that we’d end up with anything better.
What a disaster it would be to find ourselves here again in five years, having made little or no progress, and spent so much more time and energy and hurt and struggle trying to find this perfect solution, but in fact having not moved forward at all.
No, I think the time is now. As I say, I think what we have today is a good measure. It is a measure that is wrong for most of us, for our own individual interests, because it compromises, and therefore it is right for all of us. I think it finds a line which allows us to move forward. It is time to move forward; to work it out together, in relationship, to move forward shoulder to shoulder, as we minister to those that God has called us to serve, and take the Gospel to the world that so desperately needs it.
So let’s vote in favour, or if you do feel unable to do so, please consider abstaining, so that we can take the next step, allow the bishops to draw up a code of practice that facilitates our journey together, and then get on with the really important stuff. If you’re not a member of General Synod, then please, please be praying for us as we meet on the 20th November, that God’s will be done.