Anglican vote alarms Orthodox Church

The Russian Orthodox Church has said it was “alarmed and disappointed” by the Church of England’s decision to allow women to be ordained bishops, writes Tom Heneghan.

It said the step “has eliminated even a theoretical possibility for the Orthodox to recognise the existence of apostolic succession in the Anglican hierarchy”.

The Moscow-based Church, which with 200 million believers makes up two-thirds of Orthodox Christianity, said its long-standing ties with the Church of England had “shown possibilities” for the Orthodox to recognise apostolic succession in Anglicanism.

But the ordination of women bishops was contrary to “the mode of life of the Saviour himself and the holy apostles” and “impedes  considerably Orthodox-Anglican dialogue”. The statement said the decision responded to “an effort to comply with the secular idea of gender equality in all spheres”.