Church of England General Synod votes to allow women bishops

BBC News ^ | 07/14/2014

[SeekAndFind]

The Church of England has voted to allow women to become bishops for first time in its history.

Its ruling General Synod gave approval to legislation introducing the change by the required two-thirds majority.

A previous vote in 2012 was backed by the Houses of Bishops and Clergy but blocked by traditionalist lay members.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said he was "delighted" but some opponents said they were unconvinced by the concessions offered to them.

The crucial vote in the House of Laity went 152 in favour, 45 against, and there were five abstentions. In November 2012 the change was derailed by just six votes cast by the lay members.

In the house of Bishops, 37 were in favour, two against, and there was one abstention. The House of Clergy voted 162 in favour, 25 against and there were four abstentions.

It is hard to exaggerate the significance of today's decision at the York Synod.

It breaks a hitherto unbroken tradition of exclusively male bishops inherited from the first Christians almost 2,000 years ago.

[SeekAndFind]

[ConservativeDude]

dykes

[Jim from C-Town]

Could the COE and the Episcopalians become more irrelevant. Yes they can!

[allendale]

The Church of England has property, structure but very few congregants. Most of its clergy are agnostic. It reflects the values of its founder, the decadent Henry VIII.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

The decadent Henry VIII who we must remember was a villainous thug who routinely executed people who disagreed with him and his wives for not producing a male heir. I suspect old Henry spent so much time drinking and whoring that he may have contracted a disease similar to the one that turned Alphonse Capone into a blithering idiot. I find it interesting that we have a picture of two females dressed in clerical garb who are drinking. Notice I did not say they are low-life types, just that they are drinking and in public yet. At least Henry did most of his drinking in castles and in “nunneries”.

[jrg907]

Your point?

[piusv]

A woman in a Roman collar...how ridiculous.

And the other woman looks like she could be post Vatican II nun without a habit.

[Cronos]

“post Vatican II nun without a habit.” — in short a faux-nun. Thankfully that lot are dying out as real advocants prefer the habit

[NYer]

Ping!

[verga]

There is no such thing as a "Conservative" protestant church/ denomination. None of them have a written manifesto decrying abortion, euthanasia, women clergy, homosexual "marriage", etc...

Various individuals may be Conservative to one degree or another, but not one of them can claim to be truly Conservative.

[SevenofNine]

Mark my word there going be tick off Church of England members who probably go to Conserviatce church like Cathoic church welcome Church of England ex members