The Ven. Kay Goldsworthy has been named Assistant Bishop of Perth in the Anglican Church of Australia. Archdeacon Goldsworthy will become the first female bishop of that province when she is consecrated May 22 in St. George’s Cathedral, Perth. Under a protocol unanimously approved this week by the church’s House of Bishops, the validity of her orders will not be universally acknowledged.

 

Archdeacon Goldsworthy, 51, was among the first group of 10 women to be ordained Anglican priest in 1992 by the former Archbishop of Perth, the Most Rev. Peter Carnley. In addition to archdeacon, her experience includes service as a parish priest, school chaplain, and cathedral canon. She is married and is the mother of twin boys.

 

The unanimous decision to appoint Archdeacon Goldsworthy was made by Archbishop Herft and the diocesan council of Perth on April 10 and announced the following day.

 

“Already in the few hours since diocesan council endorsed my request, we have been flooded with messages of support from churches around the world and from the general public,” Archbishop Herft said in a statement published on the diocesan website. “As one, they welcome this appointment as clear affirmation of the indispensable role of women in every area of public life.”

 

In recent years, efforts to approve female bishops at Australia’s triennial General Synod have failed to pass. Last year the church’s highest ecclesiastical court issued an advisory opinion stating that there was nothing in the church’s bylaws to prevent a woman from being consecrated bishop. About a half dozen of Australia’s 23 dioceses, including Sydney, the largest, do not ordain women as priests and would not recognize the ministry of a visiting bishop.

 

Under the “Women in the Episcopate” plan, it is expected that congregations which disagree with oversight from a female bishop will be able to receive some form of alternate oversight from a male bishop. “The bishops recognised the good faith of those in the church who support the new development of women bishops and of those who find that they cannot do so,” the bishops said, pledging “to nurture the highest possible level of collegiality as bishops in the future.”

 

In a statement published on the Diocese of Sydney website, Archbishop Peter Jensen praised the “considerable good will” among bishops during the meeting at which the protocol was developed.

 

“Action was needed to protect the consciences of those who believe, as we do, that the consecration of women bishops is against biblical teaching,” he said. “There are strongly held convictions which separate us but we have endeavoured to find a way forward with courtesy and respect.”

 

In comments to The Sydney Morning Herald, Archdeacon Goldsworthy said she did not think her elevation would split the church.

 

“Women were first made bishops over 20 years ago in the Anglican Communion and the communion has continued to work,” she said adding it was unlikely that she would feel slighted by parishes unwilling to accept her ministry.

 

“I’ve traveled a path where there’s always been someone or some group that doesn’t agree or doesn’t want to receive your ministry … I’m always sorry that we have such differences and I wish it were different, but … I want everybody to see that the ministry of women is to be valued and celebrated.”

 

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