The Church of England voted not to allow women to be bishops. Bishops, priests, and laity had to pass the proposed change by a two-thirds majority. The Bishops voted 44-3 in favor of female bishops. The priests voted 148-45 in favor. The measure was blocked by the laity, who voted 132-74, which was about 4 votes shy of the 2/3 needed.
The British parliament is indignant and is threatening intervention in the state church.
Some people recommend an episcopalian polity so that bishops would keep churches orthodox. But it would seem, judging from the experience of American Anglicanism, that they don’t. Some favor a clergy-dominated polity to keep the church orthodox, and yet, as we see here, the clergy are often the ones trying to enforce a liberal agenda. In this case and in many others, the laity turn out to be most conservative faction in the church.
via Church of England blocks move to approve female bishops.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In