Episcopal Press and News

Tribunal Rules Against Australian Diocese Seeking to Ordain Women

Episcopal News Service. November 22, 1989 [89241]

MELBOURNE, Nov. 6 -- Efforts by the Diocese of Melbourne to take steps to ordain women to the priesthood received a setback today when the Anglican Church of Australia's Appellate Tribunal ruled unanimously against the diocese in a crucial test case.

The case sought to determine the constitutional legality of a diocese to authorize ordinations. The Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia states that "subject to this Constitution a diocesan synod may make ordinances for the order and good government of this Church within the diocese, in accordance with the powers in that behalf conferred upon it by the Constitution of such diocese." The tribunal said that this section was not intended to give a general authority for the making of ordinances, such as the Ordination of Women to the Office of Priest Act passed last year.

According to church sources, the decision slows down the movement to ordain women in Australia. Any diocese wishing to enact such legislation in the future must look closely at the constitutional grant of powers for its diocese.

A General Synod meeting last fall failed to adopt a canon to permit the ordination of women as priests, and it was expected that some dioceses, notably Melbourne and Perth, might try to proceed to ordain on their own authority. The decision by the Appellate Tribunal means that the issue must be addressed by the next meeting of the General Synod, in four years.