If there is one experience that sums up the reception of the first bishops who are female at a Lambeth Conference, it is the power of the incarnational encounter. Sometimes they gently touch the bishop, as if to make sure she is real.
Women frequently have tears in their eyes.
Sometimes the person with tears in his eyes is a brother bishop. People remark on how much it means to them to have female bishops at Lambeth. With other bishops, after the initial exchange of names, greetings, etc., the encounter often turns to episcopal shoptalk. Some encounters are particularly moving. One African bishop introduced himself and told me he was at Virginia Seminary when I was elected.