Church of England votes not to allow women bishops

LONDON — In a surprise move that shocked both sides of a years-long debate, the Church of England on Nov. 20 rejected a move to allow women bishops.

Many of the 470 members of the church’s three-tiered General Synod (bishops, clergy and laity) were stunned that the House of Laity could not garner a two-thirds majority in favor of women bishops. The vote failed by just five votes, 132–74, after easily passing the bishops and clergy.

“The consequence of the ‘no’ vote of terminating any further consideration of the draft legislation means that it will not be possible to introduce draft legislation in the same terms until a new General Synod comes into being in 2015,” a church statement said.

Many were perplexed by the vote, especially after 42 out of 44 dioceses approved the move and more than three-quarters of local synods had voted in favor.

Both the outgoing archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and his successor, Justin Welby, had urged the General Synod to vote for women bishops, 18 years after the church opened the priesthood to women.

The vote came after almost nine hours of debate and months of lobbying by both sides. While the vote was expected to be close, many believed Welby’s full-throated support would help end years of acrimonious debate.