Traditionalists have criticized the changes on the grounds that they smack of political correctness and because they believe they are not consistent with the teachings of the Bible. The alterations have been made to provide an alternative to the established 1982 Liturgy, which, like the Bible, refers to God as a man.

The new order of service, which can be used by priests if they have difficulties with a male God, has been produced by the church's Liturgy Committee in consultation with the Faith & Order Board of General Synod and the College of Bishops. The controversial changes were discussed at the church's General Synod recently. The minutes of the synod reveal that female priests had asked why God was still referred to as a man.

Direct quotations from the Bible have been spared change, because of a reluctance to interfere with the word of God. However, the blessing at the end of services has been changed by some ministers from "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" to "Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier".

"We are not saying God is not masculine. God is also feminine. The problem is trying to use human language to describe the indescribable. The bishops have permitted these changes, people do not have to use this form. But we are trying to honor the breadth of descriptions of God in a way that's helpful to the church and its membership."