Kay Goldsworthy
Encyclopedia
Kay Goldsworthy is a bishop
of the Anglican Diocese of Perth, Western Australia
. In April 2008 she was chosen to become an assistant bishop in the diocese by the Archbishop of Perth, Roger Herft
. She became the first woman to be consecrated as a bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia
at St George's Cathedral, Perth
on 22 May 2008.
where she studied theology at Trinity College from 1980 to 1983. In 1986 she was ordained as one of Australia's first female deacon
s and served as curate
at parishes in Thomastown
/Epping
and Deer Park
/St. Albans
before moving to Western Australia to become school chaplain
at Perth College
in Mount Lawley
. In 1992 she was ordained as one of group of Australia's first female priest
s by the former archbishop, Peter Carnley
. She served as rector
of St David's parish, Applecross
from 1995.
, Canada
and New Zealand
- since 1989.
In September 2007, the Australian church's appellate tribunal ruled that there was no constitutional impediment to women becoming bishops, but agreed to defer any appointments until 2008. The report of the appellate tribunal considered the following questions:
A subsequent bishops' conference, at Newcastle, New South Wales
in early April 2008, cleared the way for the first consecration of women bishops in Australia.
Goldsworthy's appointment has been opposed on conscientious grounds from some sections of the church, particularly in the Diocese of Sydney
led by Archbishop Peter Jensen. The Sydney diocese has indicated that if Bishop Goldsworthy visited in an official capacity she would be unable to perform any duties as a bishop and could only act as a deacon . David Mulready
, bishop of the Diocese of North West Australia
, said "I come from a part of the Anglican Church that takes the Bible seriously and believes that the Bible prohibits what is about to happen ... I think it's novel, I think it's provocative, I think it's divisive and the archbishop knows all of that."
Goldsworthy has denied comparison between the struggle for recognition of women and that of homosexuals in the Anglican Church and has declined to share her personal views on homosexual recognition.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Anglican Diocese of Perth, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. In April 2008 she was chosen to become an assistant bishop in the diocese by the Archbishop of Perth, Roger Herft
Roger Herft
Roger Adrian Herft is a bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia. He has been the Archbishop of Perth since 2005.Born in Wattegama, Sri Lanka, Herft studied at the Royal College in Colombo, later training for the ministry at United Theological College of Lanka in Pilimatalawe, receiving a B.Th....
. She became the first woman to be consecrated as a bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
at St George's Cathedral, Perth
St George's Cathedral, Perth
St George's Cathedral is the principal Anglican church in the city of Perth, Western Australia and the mother-church of the Anglican Diocese of Perth. It is located in St Georges Terrace in the centre of the city.- History:...
on 22 May 2008.
Biography
Goldsworthy was born and raised in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
where she studied theology at Trinity College from 1980 to 1983. In 1986 she was ordained as one of Australia's first female deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
s and served as curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at parishes in Thomastown
Thomastown, Victoria
Thomastown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea...
/Epping
Epping, Victoria
Epping is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 22 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea...
and Deer Park
Deer Park, Victoria
Deer Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank...
/St. Albans
St. Albans, Victoria
St Albans is a suburb 15 km north-west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, St Albans had a population of 33,511....
before moving to Western Australia to become school chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at Perth College
Perth College, Western Australia
Perth College is an independent Anglican day and boarding school for girls located in Mount Lawley, an inner northern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
in Mount Lawley
Mount Lawley, Western Australia
Mount Lawley is an inner suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Most of the suburb lies within the Local Government Area of the City of Stirling and small portions are in the City of Vincent and City of Bayswater...
. In 1992 she was ordained as one of group of Australia's first female priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s by the former archbishop, Peter Carnley
Peter Carnley
Peter Frederick Carnley AC is a retired Australian Anglican bishop. Carnley was the Archbishop of Perth from 1981 to 2005 and was Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia from 2000 until July 2005...
. She served as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St David's parish, Applecross
Applecross, Western Australia
Applecross is an affluent riverside suburb of Perth, Western Australia, bounded by Canning Highway and the Swan River. It is located within the City of Melville.Like the name Perth, the suburb of Applecross borrows its name from the region in Scotland...
from 1995.
Women bishops
Women have served as Anglican bishops in a number of countries - including the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- since 1989.
In September 2007, the Australian church's appellate tribunal ruled that there was no constitutional impediment to women becoming bishops, but agreed to defer any appointments until 2008. The report of the appellate tribunal considered the following questions:
Question 1: Is there anything in the Constitution which would now prevent the consecration of a woman in priest's orders as a bishop in this Church in a diocese which by ordinance has adopted the Law of the Church of England Clarification Canon 1992?
Answer: As regards diocesan bishops: No, provided that the woman has been duly elected as the diocesan bishop and has had her election duly confirmed in accordance with the criteria for canonical fitness set out in s74(1) of the Constitution.
A subsequent bishops' conference, at Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
in early April 2008, cleared the way for the first consecration of women bishops in Australia.
Goldsworthy's appointment has been opposed on conscientious grounds from some sections of the church, particularly in the Diocese of Sydney
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
The Diocese of Sydney is a diocese within the Anglican Church of Australia. The majority of the diocese is Evangelical and low church in tradition and committed to Reformed and Calvinist theology....
led by Archbishop Peter Jensen. The Sydney diocese has indicated that if Bishop Goldsworthy visited in an official capacity she would be unable to perform any duties as a bishop and could only act as a deacon . David Mulready
David Mulready
David Gray Mulready , is the bishop of the Anglican Diocese of North West Australia, the largest diocese in geographical size in the Anglican Communion covering approximately a quarter of the Australian continent.-Early life:...
, bishop of the Diocese of North West Australia
Anglican Diocese of North West Australia
The Anglican Diocese of North West Australia is a diocese of the Anglican Church of Australia, it covers an area of Western Australia north of Perth and is geographically, the largest Anglican diocese in Australia and one of the largest geographically, in the world. The cathedral church of the...
, said "I come from a part of the Anglican Church that takes the Bible seriously and believes that the Bible prohibits what is about to happen ... I think it's novel, I think it's provocative, I think it's divisive and the archbishop knows all of that."
Goldsworthy has denied comparison between the struggle for recognition of women and that of homosexuals in the Anglican Church and has declined to share her personal views on homosexual recognition.
See also
- Ordination of women in the Anglican CommunionAnglican CommunionThe Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...