A Retired Rector's Reflections

I was delighted and moved to attend the ordination as deacon of my dear friend and former colleague Kenson Li, at Manchester Cathedral on 29th June. It was lovely to see him, after years of working and training, arrive at this moment, witnessed by family and friends. God bless him in his work and ministry.

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A curious, and for me unheard of incident occured during the ordination of one candidate. By ancient tradition a bishop alone ordains deacons. For some time Manchester Diocese has obfuscated this by having the suffragans of the diocese hold out their hands too. This can only be a supportive gesture, it is not part of the ordination.

Curiously, though, in the case of one candidate from a prominent conservative evangelical parish in the diocese, the Bishop of Manchester, who was ordaining, stood aside and gave way to the Bishop of Bolton, himself an evangelical, who said the words “Send down the Holy Spirit on your servant Alexi for the office and work of deacon in your Church,” and laid hands on the candidate. No other candidate was ordained in this way, the Bishop of Manchester said the words and laid hands on all other candidates. No explanation for this idiosyncratic action was given in the order of service. The official ordinal does not allow for this kind of action, indeed it emphasises the unity of the ordination prayer said by one bishop. (The unusual incident can be seen on the recording of the service at 1:03f. at: https://www.youtube.com/live/0Upobz_S7cw)

Afterwards it was clear many clergy were surprised by what had happened, and sought an explanation. Interestingly this candidate, alone, stood for the ordination and does not appear on the group photographs taken afterwards.

It was assumed, and in the absence of any other comment, it is entirely plausible to assume, that this significant deviation from tradition was agreed before the service, and it was because the candidate wished to receive ordination at the hands of a ‘sound bishop’ – not one who had said they were in favour of blessing gay relationships.

Ordination is, of course, an admission into the work of the whole church, and not just an individual diocese. The Diocesan Bishop therefore acts on behalf on the whole church. The action then of the Bishop of Manchester in standing aside in the middle of the prayer so that the candidate’s preferred ordaining bishop could ordain is therefore very curious, and clearly liturgically, and publicly, shows division within the church. Without doubt it sets a clear precedent.

If, as we assume, the candidate chose a ‘sound’ bishop, and the Bishop of Manchester, acquiesced to his request can we therefore assume that candidates who support gay blessings / weddings can also choose their bishops for ordination – specifically those who agree with such weddings? Indeed, can candidates who question the ‘soundness’ of a bishop in other areas too ask for another bishop to ordain?

The Bishop of Manchester was, to quote Sir Humphrey Appleby, ‘very courageous’ in acting against the ordinal of the Church of England and the tradition of the church in this way. It will be interesting to see how others react to the precedent he has set.