The Ordination of Women Priests


How well has the ordination of women priests been received in the Anglican Communion since the canons concerning ordination were changed by General Convention in 1976?

Here is a list of Provinces of the Anglican Communion that ordain women or have no canonical impediment to do so:

  1. England
  2. Ireland
  3. Scotland
  4. Wales
  5. New Zealand
  6. Australia
  7. Bangladesh
  8. Hong Kong
  9. Indian Ocean
  10. Japan
  11. North India
  12. Philippines
  13. South India
  14. Burundi
  15. Congo
  16. Kenya
  17. Rwanda
  18. South Africa
  19. Sudan
  20. Tanzania
  21. Uganda
  22. West Africa
  23. Canada
  24. United States
  25. Mexico
  26. Central America
  27. West Indies
  28. Brazil
  29. Southern Cone
Here is a list of Provinces of the Anglican Communion that do not ordain women:
  1. Korea
  2. Jerusalem; Middle East
  3. Melanesia
  4. Pakistan
  5. Paupa New Guinea
  6. Southeast Asia
  7. Central Africa
  8. Nigeria

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is in partial communion with all the provinces which ordain women, including that of the Southern Cone.

[The province of the Southern Cone has no canonical impediment to the ordination of women, but their Primate, Archbishop Venables, has indicated that such ordinations will not take place.]

On the other hand, Archbishop Venables has accepted the recently deposed Bishop of Pittsburg, Bob Duncan, along with as much of The Episcopal Church's property and flock as he could get his hands on to be recognized as a diocese in the Southern Cone, on a temporary basis. Since this newly recognized entity has a cadre of women priests, we can conclude that the Province of the Southern Cone includes women priests.