Sunday, January 17, 2010

still awaiting first female uk bishop


I know absolutely nothing about the Revd Canon Dr Alison Peden, but I had hoped that she might have become the first female bishop of a major UK church yesterday. Sadly, it wasn’t to be. The Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan, aged 59, (pictured) was elected the new bishop of Glasgow and Galloway.
As it happens, Gregor was a trainee priest(?) when I was a churchwarden of St Michael and All Angels, Summertown, Oxford (in about 1978?). Ironically, at the time, I seem to remember him being him being staunchly opposed to women priests (I’m happy to say that the parochial church council voted strongly in favour nevertheless)!
PS: strangely, Duncan is the third curate/trainee priest during our relatively brief “church life” in Oxford (say 1972-82) to have subsequently been elected bishop. The other two were: Rt Revd Lord Colin Bennetts, Bishop of Coventry (retired 2007) and Rt Revd Sir David Conner KCVO, Dean of Windsor (former Bishop to HM Forces).
Some people clearly have influence… Tanya better prepare herself!

2 comments:

just Gai said...

It's only a matter of time now.

bigdaddystevieB said...

... and David Conner does royal weddings and stuff too (we've refused all invites obviously)!