If anyone doubts how far the Church of England has come when it comes to equality then they need only look at Helen-Ann Hartley.
The Bishop of Newcastle is one of the 26 Lords Spiritual. She is also currently one of seven women to occupy this position.
It has been a decade since the Church ordained its first female bishop. But there is still a long way to go, as Bishop Hartley outlines in her interview with The Yorkshire Post today.
She has been a prominent critic of the Church leadership over its shortcomings when it comes to safeguarding.
The Church of England should reflect on where it currently stands. Its leadership needs to address the concerns of the flock and reconnect with grassroot parishes.
The Church is lucky that powerful voices such as that of Helen-Ann exist because it is for the good of the Church that it faces up to the issues that have led to trust being eroded.
Women bring certain innate qualities to the table that make them important voices on issues of religion and life generally.
While Helen-Ann says she would “personally be surprised if the next Archbishop of Canterbury is a woman”, there are few candidates better placed to lead with the integrity and clarity required than the Bishop of Newcastle.
The reality is that women have always played a key role in christianity, from the Virgin Mary to Abbess Hilda, as Lord Sentamu points out in his piece in today’s newspaper.
So the idea of a female Archbishop of Canterbury should not be viewed as fantasy.
But at this time it is vital that all church leaders ensure that the voices of women are not only heard but acted upon. It cannot go on as a boy’s club.
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