Sir, – It’s not just the “first-world” countries of US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia that have elected women bishops in the Anglican Communion. Only last week the Revd Ellinah Wamukoya was consecrated as Bishop of Swaziland, the first woman to be elected bishop in Africa.
I look forward to the Anglican Communions in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland following the example set by the Anglican church in Swaziland. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – W Arthur Duthie (November 27th) repeats a commonly held fallacy when he states “Queen Elizabeth . . . is the Supreme head of the Anglican church”. Not so.
There is no such entity as “the Anglican church” for Queen Elizabeth or anyone else to be head of.
Rather there is a fellowship or family of 44 independent churches in over 160 countries called The Anglican Communion.
Total membership is thought to be about 80 million people. The queen has no role or position in any of these churches except for the Church of England of which she is the Supreme Governor not “the Supreme head”. She has no priestly or episcopal office in that church.There is only one head of any of the Anglican churches – Jesus Christ. – Yours, etc,