Women 'must have more Church roles'

MORE women should be given key roles in the Scottish Episcopal Church, its general synod was told today.

Representatives from Episcopal congregations across Scotland are meeting at Edinburgh's Palmerston Place Church over the next three days.

A gender audit of the church revealed that while women outnumbered men by 65 to 35 in the general church membership, only 69 out of 212 board and committee places at national level were occupied by women and only five of 41 places on cathedral chapters were held by females. It also found that, at local level, the church reflected traditional stereotypes by appointing male treasurers, female secretaries and female child protection officers.

The audit showed that when it came to the general synod, there was a female majority among the lay members, but the male dominance among clergy and bishops meant the overall synod membership was heavily male.

The report, due to be debated later today, recommends greater gender equality in church boards and committees, more women in senior clerical posts and a working group to look into other areas of possible discrimination.