An Open Letter of Bishop Dominic
Stockford
Regarding the Ordination of Women
and the Church of England
Dear Brethren,
If, as Christians, we do
not follow Scripture, if we do not follow what the Bible teaches, then
what can Christian faith be based upon? If the Bible is not reliable on
one point then how can we know it is reliable on another? By guesswork
maybe? No – the teaching of Scripture and acceptance of its inerrant truth
is absolutely essential for any sincere Christian to stand by. Without
such a belief the Christian faith would become empty and meaningless.
So, let us
be clear, just as Scripture is clear. Women have many parts to play in the
Christian church, and much ministry to take up. However, Scripture is
clear that women should NOT be ordained ministers, and even more certainly
not be bishops.
“Let
a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman
to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain
quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived,
but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be
saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith and love and
holiness, with self-control.” 1 Timothy 2:11-15
Note that Paul is not
inventing this position from his own head but refers to Genesis Chapter 3,
the very start of the existence of man. From the fall of man God chose to
place man in a position of authority, and such teaching does not change.
Furthermore, we are not being asked to debate what we think about the
mater, we are being asked to accept what God teaches about the matter.
God, our Creator and sustainer, God our Judge, God who alone knows what is
best for us.
Those many, whose
voices were not heard effectively because of the utterly unrepresentative
motion put forward by House of Bishops of the CofE, those who will be
weeping before their Lord and committing themselves once again to follow
His Word despite the pressures and compromises of the world, those many do
have a place to go where they can live by their conviction that God’s Word
is right and that it should be lived by.
I have sorrow for my brethren within the CofE who see their denomination
taken one step further down the road away from what Christ taught, and one
step further towards the gaping chasm of worldly customs and desires. I
have many personal friends within the CofE whose faith in Christ is in no
doubt, and whose sincerity is in no doubt. They see yet another keystone
removed, the Scriptures denied once again, and stand amid the crumbling
edifice of the CofE seeking, in hope, to hold it up despite the sheer
impossibility of the situation. Surely now it is time for them to rest
from such labours?
I give thanks to Him also, for passing me through the CofE at high speed
and bringing me to minister in a much smaller, but still Biblically
faithful, group of churches. The Word of God is our sole rule for faith
and practice, and we mean it. Although (and because we are Anglican in
doctrine and style) it is hard to see our brothers and sisters who also
hold that pushed ever further away from their heartfelt belonging, we hold
out our hands in friendship and in the hope that those who seek to be
truly Reformed, Protestant and above all Biblical, but wish to be Anglican
in nature, will know that they will always find a (UK) home with us.
Though it may be hard to do, it is surely now clear that your energy would
better be spent proclaiming Christ's truths, not defending the
continuation of the CofE. Therefore I encourage you to take that hard
step, as congregations and as individuals, and step into the arms and the
fellowship of those who (as we do) hold living by and believing the
Scriptures as essential. Join those who seek to place Christ and His
commands and injunctions to us first and who know that men's judgements
are filled with sin and failing.
Yes, we say NO to WO (women’s ordination) - and to many other
unbiblical things too! But more importantly, we say yes to Christ, say yes
to mission, say yes to proclaiming judgement for all, and say yes to
proclaiming salvation from the wrath of God through Jesus Christ and Him
alone. Join us in proclaiming Christ.
May God's blessings be with all concerned.
Bishop Dominic Stockford
Evangelical Connexion of the Free CofE
