Women bishops: Church of England to approve law
Historic vote is a positive step towards equality and 'changing the culture of the church', say campaigners
The Church of England is set to officially adopt legislation that will lead to the ordination of female bishops.
The general synod voted in favour of women bishops in July, but today's vote will give the final seal of approval to the legislation. The move could see the first female bishop appointed as early as next year.
The controversial issue of female bishops has dominated religious debate in recent years. The new legislation will alter the leadership profile of the Church of England and marks a milestone on the wider issue of women's rights. It comes exactly two decades after the first female priests were ordained.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Today's vote is a "mainly symbolic stage in this long process, but it's clearly an immensely historic and really significant one", says the BBC religious affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt.
The idea of women bishops was originally defeated in 2012, when it fell just six votes short of the required majority among lay members. MPs then threatened to impose women bishops by force using equality legislation, before another vote in the summer approved the plans.
Hilary Cotton, chairwoman of Women and the Church (Watch), told Sky News that she would like women to eventually make up a third of all bishops "in order to make a difference".
"It is not just about having women wearing purple, it is about changing the culture of the church to be more equal," she said. "It is exciting, but I hope that in a few years it will be more normal for women to be appointed bishops."
However, opposition from within the church persists. The conservative evangelical group Reform estimates that at least a quarter of the Church find female bishops incompatible with their traditional beliefs.
The group maintains that "the divine order of male headship" makes it "inappropriate" for women to hold such high positions within the church.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Sexual abuse and ‘cruel indifference’: the disgrace of the French Catholic Church
Speed Read Landmark report estimates around 330,000 children were abused by clergymen and officials between 1950 and 2020
By The Week Staff Published
-
Former Jehovah’s Witnesses sue over historic sex abuse
Speed Read Group’s controversial ‘two witnesses’ policy has come under fire
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Retired Pope Benedict warns against relaxing celibacy rules
Speed Read Benedict says he ‘cannot keep silent’ on the issue in new book
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Pontiff passion killer: why Italians have less sex when the Pope’s in town
Speed Read New study reveals drop in unintended pregnancies following papal visits
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Pope Francis lifts ‘pontifical secret’ rule in abuse cases
Speed Read Sex abuse cases will no longer be held in secret as Church wrestles with the issue
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Catholic Church to consider ordaining married men
Speed Read Ending centuries of orthodoxy, radical plan aimed to address clergy shortage could lead to conservative backlash
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Pope Francis to force clergy to report sex abuse
Speed Read New law will make it compulsory for all Catholic priests and nuns to report abuse and cover-ups by superiors
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Are Birmingham mosque attacks linked to Christchurch?
Speed Read Counter-terrorism police investigating five incidents which the Muslim community claim are related to last week’s massacre in New Zealand
By The Week Staff Last updated