Anglican church reforms and their social impact for atheism

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Given the development of the media-storm surrounding Anglican church reform (If you haven't seen it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20426123) I would just like to point out the implications of this struggle for the atheistic community within society.
The major point that I'd like to raise is that, either way this contention resolves, the irreligious community benefits massively. Let us take it that women are not allowed into bishophood; if this is how it turns out, the Church faces complete social alienation and rejection, and thus becomes a far less acceptable institution, eventually fading into nothingness.
Alternatively, if they allow for women to become bishops, the church opens the door to equality, meaning it isnt as loathsome and, by the virtue of the slippery slope, will eventually stop being an archaic shitstorm of ignorance.
Given this, I can only see good ramifications. What are your positions on this reform?

My position on the reform is that is massively overdue, but ultimately futile (for the Anglican CofE. The Cof Wales and the Cof Scotland have much stronger membership than in England).

Membership of CofE churches is massively outstripped by membership of their schools (and that's only because they're state funded and perceived to be 'good'), which does tell you something about the dissemination of their message (ie, it's not working and people are not converting).

I can only agree with your stance, but will go one step further and hope that the disestablishmentarian movement gets a ground swell. It's embarrassing for England and the UK that an established institution is so archaic and backwards when we attempt to promote ourselves as a cosmopolitan and free thinking society. We've had one of the most recognizable female leaders in history (Maggie Thatcher), not to mention a number of queens who have had a reputation for not taking any shit (QE I, Victoria, maybe even QE II), but for some reason the CofE's laity aren't convinced that women can talk to folk about some odd and obscure spiritual matters?

The church is entirely irrelevent to the majority of people in the UK. The last census revealed it, various studies since then have revealed it, and the new 2011 census when published in 2013 will undoubtedly reveal the trend continuing.