The following article is taken from the October 1999 issue of Southern Cross, the newspaper for the Diocese of Sydney.

by Jeremy Halcrow

Lay administration of the Lord’s Supper has generated more heat than any other issue in Southern Cross recently. If passed, new laws will allow lay people and those ministers ordained as deacons to lead or ‘administer’ the Holy Communion service.

This issue is being pushed as a circuit-breaker in the long running debate over the ordination of women to the priesthood. Writing in the Anglican Church Record last month, Moore College lecturer, the Rev Dr Robert Doyle argued that it was more in line with New Testament teaching than another proposal which would see women ordained priests, but restricted from being heads of parishes. He said the ‘ordination of some women to a new kind of priesthood’ was ‘a way back to pre-Reformation concepts’ because the only difference to the present situation is that they would be permitted to administer Holy Communion.

“In expanding the ministry opportunities for women, lay and diaconal administration is the evangelical way forward,” he said.

The Rev Peter Taylor, rector of West Pennant Hills with Cherrybrook, takes a different line to Dr Doyle.

Firstly, he said, current practice already gives a special place to the sacrament because only male priests can do it. This division leads to what he called ‘unjust’ situations for many women in ministry. Thus, he believes there can be no doubt that the proposal before this year’s Synod for ordaining women priests is more in line with New Testament teaching than what occurs now. Adding, “We’ve put this proposal forward to avoid the whole stumbling block of headship.”

Secondly, Mr Taylor said, the key reason Justice Ken Handley has put forward this proposal is because the legal structure of the Church means lay administration is not a realistic way forward for women in ministry.

It is thought that allowing lay administration of the Lord’s Supper could throw into doubt the Diocese’s relationship to the rest of the Anglican Church.

“It is very doubtful that lay administration will be able to take place,” Mr Taylor said. “This will leave us with the worst of all outcomes - the status quo.”

The Anglican Church of Australia’s highest legal body, the Appellate Tribunal, found in late 1997 that Sydney Diocese does not have the power to authorise lay presidency, without the approval of General Synod. And, while ACL President, Bruce Ballantine-Jones, has argued that General Synod has already passed laws which give the required approval, this has not been tested.

There are also doubts that the Archbishop will give his assent to a bill passing lay administration. He has stated in Southern Cross that his main concern is to maintain ‘as many positive connections with theologically conservative Anglicans around the world as possible’ and that passing such a law would be ‘unwise’. He believes it would ‘diminish the opportunity we have to contribute effectively to current issues under debate; matters that have far greater implications for Christian life and witness’.