Women and the Church of England

Women and the Church of England: 200 Years of Women’s Ministry and Agency is a new exhibition at the Lambeth Palace Library that delves into the stories of trailblazing women whose steps led the way towards equal ministry within the Church of England.

The exhibition marks the anniversary of several ground-breaking, and at the time controversial, moments within the history of women’s ministry that came about after a long and hard-fought struggle with sincerely held opinions on both sides.

It is now 10 years since legislation was passed allowing women to be consecrated as bishops in England, and 30 years since the ordination of 1200 women to the priesthood in the Church of England. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the priesting of Florence Li Tim-Oi, the first woman to be ordained to the priesthood in the Anglican Communion.

As well as exploring the path to women’s ordination, this exhibition looks at the impact women had in the administration of the Church as benefactors, social reformers and at all levels of central lay organisation, and at the distinctive ministry of the order of deaconesses.