Church of England votes against women bishops
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The General Synod of the Church of England has voted against proposals to ordain women as bishops.
For the measure to pass, the backing of two-thirds of voters in each house of the General Synod was required.
Whilst the necessary support was secured from the Synod’s House of Bishops and House of Clergy, the vote of 132 for and 74 against in the House of Laity was not enough to see the proposals passed.
It could be five more years before the issue is addressed by the Church of England again.
A 12 year legislative process and a determined campaign led many to believe that the Synod would vote in favour of women Bishops.
Concerns
But a number of lay members and clergy had consistently voiced concerns in the run up to the vote about how those opposed to women bishops would be accommodated. Many felt that the proposed provisions in the legislation were not sufficient.
Those with concerns included Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, who chaired the 2004 Rochester Commission. The Commission sought to inform the CofE on the different perspectives on women bishops and prepare it for debate on the issue.
Before the vote in Synod, Bishop Nazir-Ali wrote: “…a structured place has to be provided for those who disagree in a way that respects their integrity.
“Such a process will ensure not only that minorities are accommodated but that the Church will genuinely be seen to be seeking for God’s will to be done rather than relentlessly pursuing an agenda based merely on secular assumptions”.
Complementarity
Andrea Minichiello Williams, a lay member of General Synod and Chief Executive of Christian Concern, commented: “This result is a reminder that the Church does not conform to the pattern of the world.
“In an age when men and women are seen as interchangeable, we have been reminded that ‘God made them male and female.’
“Gender differences should be celebrated and the complementary roles of men and women upheld as a reflection of the relationships between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”.
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