Church of England votes to allow women bishops

USPA News - The Church of England on Monday voted to allow women to enter its top ranks as bishops for the first time in its history, though the church remains divided after years of bitter debate. The vote means that the first female bishop could be appointed by the end of the year.

The General Synod of the Church of England gave its approval for women to become bishops in the church after a vote on the movement was carried by a two-thirds majority. The vote was comprised of the three components of the Synod, namely the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy, and the House of Laity. In the House of Bishops, 37 people voted in favor of the measure while two voted against it and one abstained from voting. In the House of Clergy, 162 voted in favor, 25 voted against, and four abstained. In the House of Laity, 152 voted in favor, 45 against, and five abstained. Overall, 153 Synod members voted in favor, 72 voted against, and 10 abstained. The House of Laity`s votes were the most crucial of the three components because in November 2012 a vote on the same issue was supported by the Houses of Bishops and Clergy but failed to pass because of a lack of support in the House of Laity. At that time, the measure was not approved because it failed to pass the required two-third majority due to a mere six votes cast by House of Laity members. "Today is the completion of what was begun over 20 years with the ordination of women as priests. I am delighted with today`s result. Today marks the start of a great adventure of seeking mutual flourishing while still, in some cases disagreeing," said Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, though he lamented the difficulties and sorrow the decision had caused for some members of the Church. The Archbishop said the first female bishop could possibly be named by the end of the year. British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg welcomed Monday`s decision to allow women to become bishops and said that it was a "long overdue step" in enforcing gender equality. "This is a watershed moment for the Church of England and a huge step forward in making our society fairer. I would like to congratulate the strong leadership that Archbishop Welby has shown on this issue," he said.