First Woman Bishop to Be Consecrated in England Despite Strict Opposition

The appointment of the first female bishop is considered an important step towards non-discrimination and gender equality in the religious sphere.

MOSCOW, January 26 (Sputnik) — The Church of England's first woman bishop, Libby Lane, will be consecrated at York Minster on Monday despite resistance from traditionalists, who consider such step inappropriate, BBC reported on Monday.

"It is a remarkable thing that this happens to me, and people have been very supportive of me personally, but actually this is about a moment in the Church's history," Mrs. Lane told BBC Radio Manchester.

Miranda Threlfall-Holmes who advocates for the promotion of women’s rights and gender-equality in the religious sphere claims that Lane’s appointment will be a “healing” measure.

"Fundamentally, it's about whether the church believes that men and women are equally made in God's image and it's going to be a really powerful symbol," she told AFP.

Libby Lane was appointed as the first female bishop in the middle of December. She is married and has two children. Her husband is also a priest and they were among first married couples in England to be consecrated together, according to the Guardian.

Many consider appointment of a woman bishop a significant step towards non-discrimination and the promotion of gender equality. However, there is a division of England’s society between Anglicans who have a moderate stance towards the initiative and traditionalists who strictly oppose such a step.