Appointing a bishop

SIR – Mavis Jacobs (Letters, October 5) alleges an abuse of power by the Vacancy in See Committee preparing the statement of need for the appointment of the next Bishop of Norwich.

The Five Guiding Principles to which she refers do indeed state that “the Church of England is fully and unequivocally committed to all orders of ministry being open equally to all, without reference to gender”.

These principles are, however, set out in the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests, an intrinsic element of the 2014 settlement enabling women to become bishops and potentially archbishops.

Importantly, the Declaration also notes that “dioceses are entitled to express a view, in the statement of needs prepared during a vacancy in see, as to whether the diocesan bishop should be someone who will or will not ordain women”.

Thus the duly elected Vacancy in See Committee has done exactly what it was entitled to do, and should in no way be abused for exercising this responsibility in good conscience, and with the needs of the diocese in mind.

Rev David Smith

Norwich