ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a case study of the gap between theological discussion on the status of women in the Anglican Church in New South Wales and actual practice in a parish in a large country town. It looks at this from a sociological perspective and includes an outline of the institutional structure of the Anglican Church today. In 1972 the Australian theologian Barbara Thiering recognised the presence of institutional sexism in the Church when she suggested that in Australia the Christian Church, both Catholic and Protestant, was one of the main agencies for reinforcing the low status of women. Institutional sexism is not only becoming unacceptable to the Australian community, it is also being questioned by members of the Church. Since the Enquiry into the Status of Women was published the Anglican Church has begun to discriminate less against members who are female.
