The Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda or, more fully, the Mission Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda is an association led by some bishops of the Church of England that aims at creating "an ecclesial community that is both loyal to the traditions of the Church of England and yet, because of the clear difference of views about the ordination of women, has its own bishops with jurisdiction and so a guaranteed sacramental and missional life."[1]
While all are opposed the ordination of women as bishops, some of its founders did not rule out their ordination as priests.[2]
Although the decision by the Church of England in July 2010 not to make any special provision for those of its members opposed to admission of women to the episcopate offered little hope of success, the founders of the Society intended their initiative to favour legislation by the Church of England that would make the Society part of its official life.[3][4]
The Society, whose Coordinating Bishop was Martyn Jarrett, Bishop of Beverley, envisaged that parishes could associate themselves with it, and hoped that the Church of England would enact legislation to enable parishes to have a more structured relationship with the Society.[5]
The relationship between the Society and Forward in Faith is unclear.[6]
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