Synod opens new door to women bishops

The Church of England has voted to fast-track legislation to ordain women bishops, with final approval now expected next year. The vote was passed with 378 votes in favour, eight against and 25 abstentions, write Liz Dodd and James Macintyre.

Both traditionalists and supporters of women bishops spoke in favour of a package of new proposals on Wednesday.

The new legislation, which was drafted after the synod rejected a different proposal for women bishops by six votes last November, includes the creation of an adjudicator to rule on cases where traditionalists appeal the appointment of a woman to a diocese.

Legislation to ordain women bishops will now come before the synod next year. If a draft declaration is endorsed at a synod meeting in February, it could be voted on in its final version as early as November 2014.

Meanwhile, the synod this week pledged to make evangelisation a priority after the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey,  claimed it was a “generation away from extinction”. On Thursday and Friday the Catholic and Anglican bishops were due to meet at Lambeth Palace with their discussions focussing on evangelisation. According to the 2011 census, little more than 800,000 people attend Church of England Sunday services.