Suffolk Coastal MP, John Gummer, Has Threatened To Leave The Church Of England's General Synod If Women Are Allowed To Become Priests

A spirited argument against women priests in the Church of England.

Adopting a tone of sarcastic humour, John Gummer MP lists the reasons why he thinks women should not be priests in the Church of England. First, because for 1980 years women have not been made priests. Second, because Our Lord made no women bishops or priests so it would be surprising if this revelation fell upon us because of Germaine Greer’s views. He feels it is more likely that we are passing through a period with a particular view of sexuality but he would looks to a general council of the church to make a decision for the whole church, which he would respect. He cannot allow the Bishop of Manchester to decide, ignoring most of Christendom, the whole of the Roman Church and the whole of the Orthodox Church. Asked, in this modern age, whether the introduction of women priests would address the church problem of falling congregations, he replies that there are more male ordinands than in recent years. He says if we had taken that line in the nineteenth century a more liberal church would have dispensed with the creeds, and in eighteenth century would have become Deists. He says what the modern age wants is the truth. He advocates keeping with what the Church has always taught and not pushing out of the Church those who hold the faith as it was given to the Apostles. He asks why loyal Anglicans like himself and his family should be pushed out – that will empty the churches rather than bring new people in. The reporter was Alastair Yates for this video made to be shown in a news story on Anglia Television early evening news / magazine programme About Anglia.

Keywords

Religion; Church of England; Women priests; General Synod; Gender