Episcopal Press and News
Australian Court Decision Prevents Ordination of 11 Women as Priests
Episcopal News Service. February 7, 1992 [92025]
An injunction by a federal court just two days before 11 women were scheduled to be ordained priests in the Anglican Church of Australia prevented the ceremony, and led to strong protests around the country.
Bishop Owen Dowling of Canberra and Goulburn was forced by a Supreme Court decision to drop plans to ordain the first women priests in the Anglican Church of Australia on February 2.
Dowling, whose diocese has given him overwhelming support to move ahead with plans to ordain women, said that he was "devastated" by the injunction and pledged to carry the struggle forward. "Just as slavery was eventually done away with, so this discrimination will be done away with," he asserted.
Inside the Cathedral of St. Saviour's in Goulburn on February 2, Dowling described that day's service as "probably one of the most painful services that I have ever conducted." He proceeded to ordain six male candidates, and recognized the women deacons whose ordination to the priesthood was at the heart of the controversy.
The congregation erupted in sustained applause in support of Dowling, and in support of the new priests and the 11 women who will continue to serve as deacons. During the sermon, Bishop Alf Holland of Newcastle called on supporters of women's ordination to a renewed commitment in the struggle. "We now know the need to be a mixture of the serpent and the dove when in the presence of wolves," he said to loud applause.
Rallies on behalf of the women were held throughout Australia. The Australian Movement for the Ordination of Women arranged for 11 red roses to be laid on the altar of every cathedral in Australia to honor the 11 "suffering women whose ordinations have yet again been postponed." In Goulburn, police bomb squads checked pews amid tight security, and outside, marchers carried signs proclaiming "God is not a man's name."
Outside St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney, prayers were offered for the "Goulburn 11," and 11 red roses were laid on the steps of the cathedral as a priest called out the name of each woman who was to have been ordained. About 100 protesters, including two women priests from New Zealand, shouted "Shame, shame" at Archbishop Donald Robinson of Sydney, who opposes the ordination of women as priests.
The issue of ordaining women to the priesthood in the Anglican Church of Australia has a history of legal wrangling -- both inside and outside of the church.
In December, the church's highest judicial body -- the Appellate Tribunal -- ruled that General Synod legislation was required before women could be constitutionally ordained as priests. However, the tribunal was unable to decide whether diocesan synods have the power to authorize legislation to ordain women as priests.
Although the New South Wales Supreme Court ruled that it did not have the authority to prevent Dowling from ordaining women, two priests and a layman from the Diocese of Sydney sought an injunction to stop him from proceeding with the February 2 ordinations.
A three-member Sydney Supreme Court unanimously overturned the earlier court decision and agreed that Dowling should not proceed with the ordination unless authorized to do so by the General Synod of the Church. Although Dowling later described the injunction as "an intolerable intrusion" of the state into religious affairs, the court said that it had to uphold the constitution of the church, which is governed by an act of Parliament. A spokesman for the court told reporters that the issue was not whether women should be ordained, but that such ordinations should only occur if proper procedures that govern the church are followed.
"This is a clear example of the letter of the law being used to quench the spirit in the church," Dowling said. "The freedom of religious expression in our country is brought into question."
Anglican Primate of Australia and Archbishop of Melbourne Keith Rayner has said that the recent injunction against Dowling has "not settled the matter" regarding women priests, and that the issue will likely come before the General Synod meeting in July.
Some observers believe that the church may not have the luxury of debating the ordination of women at the General Synod meeting.
Archbishop Ian George of Adelaide said that he was determined to ordain women by the end of the year, regardless of whether the Anglican General Synod approves it in July.
Archbishop Peter Carnley of Perth has already announced that he will ordain up to 10 women on March 7, and would be prepared to go to jail if necessary. A spokesman said that the ordinations would proceed unless stopped by an injunction.
Tasmanian Bishop Philip Newell said that the recent court rulings had no jurisdiction in Tasmania and that he would act in solidarity with Dowling by moving to allow the ordination of women in his diocese. Newell said that he plans to call a special session of the Tasmanian Synod on April 4 to seek approval for the ordination of women as priests.