New Anglican Bishop Patrick White's statements that he wants to continue and possibly accelerate the debate on the ordination of women priests and, perhaps more importantly, how the church can redress the effects of slavery, are welcome news.

It might well be asked why the Anglican Church deserves more attention on these questions than other denominations.

The fact is that more people still say they are Anglican than any other denomination, even if this is not always reflected in church attendance.

And because the Anglican Church was the Island's established church for so long, it holds a critical place in Bermuda's culture.

And for whatever faults it may have had, it is today the best integrated large denomination in Bermuda. As such, it has a critical role to play in how Bermuda moves forward.

In that context, women priests are long overdue.

This newspaper would not be so unwise as to enter into a theological debate on the question; suffice to say, the Bible can be used to provide arguments for both sides. Nonetheless, Protestant churches generally follow the idea that priesthood is not the preserve of a select few, and in that context all qualified believers should be eligible for ordination.

What is a fact is that Anglican Communion provinces have ordained women without any real difficulty, as have countless other denominations.

More broadly, it is mind-boggling to think that women today are able to fulfil virtually any role in society, but somehow aren't capable of leading a congregation. This is especially true in Bermuda, churches, where women are often the backbone of the churches.

There are practical reasons too. The Anglican Communion is facing difficulties finding priests in an increasingly secular western world. Bermuda, far from being immune, has particular difficulties finding enough Bermudian priests to fill its posts in nine parishes and at the Cathedral.

To be sure, there will be some conservative members of the church who will oppose such a move, but the arguments in favour clearly outweigh the discomfort they may feel.

Some may well feel that they, as members of the modern Anglican Communion, have no reason to address the past mistakes of the church, especially with regard to slavery and segregation.

But Bishop White is right to say that there should be debate on what redress should be provided to black Bermudians who suffered when the church should have used its moral position to bring about change.

His predecessor, Bishop Ewen Ratteray, issued an apology for just that in 2007 and said a year later that the church was considering and praying on what further steps were needed.

The apology said in part: "That the Anglican Church further expresses remorse for the indignities and racial discrimination which, subsequent to the abolition of slavery, were condoned by and perpetuated within the Church.

"... That the Anglican Church of Bermuda undertakes to be an instrument of healing and reconciliation in these islands of Bermuda."

Since then, Culture Minister Dale Butler has called on the church to establish scholarships as a form of redress and Bishop White has said he likes the idea. There may be other ways too, and the Bishop and the church should now consider them as a matter of urgency.