Church of England May Be Closer to Appointing Women Bishops
The Church of England may be one step closer to appointing female bishops after a recent vote taken among the church's 44 local dioceses has found that the majority are in favor of a motion to do so, according to the Telegraph.
As a result, the measure will be taken before the Church of England's national assembly, the General Synod, next year in July for a final decision to be made.
While 28 out of the 30 dioceses of England have so far supported the measure, those that have not, such as the diocese of London, are asking for alternative plans that guarantee that their parishes will be overseen by male bishops.
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"The legislation does limit the ministry of women bishops, in order to enable those who will not accept them to remain in the Church of England, but we recognize that compromise is a positive part of Anglican life," said campaign coordinator at Women and the Church Hilary Cotton, according to the Telegraph. "Any further limits, as are being suggested in some dioceses, we know would be unworkable as well as unacceptable."
Traditional and conservative members of the Anglican Church realize the legislation may not be so easily passed, and that the General Synod will have to take some sort of action to address qualms from conservative Anglicans who wish to uphold a tradition of the church that has been in effect for centuries.
Director of the traditionalist organization Forward in Faith Stephen Parkinson commented that church authorities may have to reconsider how they choose to go forth with the movement because of the obvious backlash they are going to receive from opponents of the measure.
"The General Synod is going to have to react in some way to the obvious feelings in various parts of the country," he said.
