This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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The Church of England has consecrated Reverend Libby Lane as its first female bishop during an official ceremony at York Minster on Monday.
The 48-year-old is the first ever female Bishop of Stockport, after a major historic reform in church legislation by General Synod during November 2014.
Mrs Lane has been vicar of St Peter’s Hale and St Elizabeth’s Ashley, in Greater Manchester, since April 2007, as well as Dean of Women in Ministry in the diocese of Chester.
She had been named as the Bishop of Stockport in December. Her appointment has been hailed as a major step towards gender equality by the spiritual head of the Church, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and by many others including Prime Minister David Cameron.
Now, she has been ordained as the new Bishop of Stockport in a service, conducted by the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu, in one of the largest cathedrals in northern Europe, amid opposition from traditionalists.
During a two-hour long service, Dr Sentamu and other bishops laid their hands on Mrs Lane and prayed. After which lengthy applause was made.
The new bishop has said: “It is a remarkable thing that this happens to me, and people have been very supportive of me personally, but actually this is about a moment in the Church’s history.
“If my appointment encourages a single young girl to lift her eyes up a bit and to realise that she has capacity and potential, and that those around her don’t need to dictate what is possible, then I would be really honoured.”
However, the Church still faces division over the move. Modernisers’ view see it as fair to women and can help rejuvenate the Church after years of declining congregations, but a conservative minority think the Bible demands male leadership.
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