Hindus Urge Church of England to Approve Women Bishops

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed has urged General Synod of Church of England to endorse introduction of women bishops in its debate and vote on the issue on Monday in University of York (United Kingdom).

It would be a “step in the right direction”, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed in a statement in Nevada (USA) today.

Rajan Zed suggested the Church to empower the women bishops with exactly equal roles as men bishops and without any limits or conditions. As women were equal partners in the society, they should be equal partners in Church also. Women could disseminate God’s message as skillfully as men and deserved equal and full participation and access in religion, Zed added.

Quoting Hindu scriptures, Zed says: Where women are honored, there the gods are pleased.

Women now reportedly make up about a third of the Church's priests. Monday’s Synod agenda includes “Women in the episcopate – new legislative proposals”.

The General Synod, currently meeting July 5-9 in York, is the national assembly of the Church of England (headquartered in London whose tagline is "A Christian presence in every community"), which is recognized by law as the official church of England. About 1.7 million people take part in a Church of England service each month, about 12 million people visit its cathedrals annually and it has over 19,500 licensed ministers. Her Majesty the Queen is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, while Most Reverend Justin Welby is the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.