The Church of England has come significantly closer to appointing its first women bishops after a majority of dioceses voted in favour of reform. A majority of dioceses have now voted decisively to allow women to become bishops for the first time

Ballots have been taking place across the Church’s 44 local dioceses over recent months and a majority have now voted decisively to allow women to become bishops for the first time.

The result means that the measures will be sent to the Church of England’s national assembly, the General Synod, next year, for what is expected to be a final showdown between supporters and opponents of reform.

However, traditionalists who cannot accept the ministry of women are calling for an alternative plan containing stronger guarantees that their parishes will be overseen by male bishops.

Last week the diocese of London voted against the reform to allow women to become bishops but on Saturday seven other dioceses backed the draft legislation: Carlisle, Blackburn, Winchester, Norwich, Wakefield, St Albans and Rochester.

So far, 28 out of the 30 diocese to have voted on the plans supported the consecration of women bishops in the Church of England for the first time.

Hilary Cotton, campaign coordinator at Women and the Church, said: “The legislation does limit the ministry of women bishops, in order to enable those who will not accept them to remain in the Church of England, but we recognise that compromise is a positive part of Anglican life.

“Any further limits, as are being suggested in some dioceses, we know would be unworkable, as well as unacceptable.”

The General Synod is expected to take a final vote on the reforms next July.

However, Stephen Parkinson, director of the traditionalist organisation Forward in Faith, suggested that the Church authorities may be forced to reconsider the plans as early as February. He warned that the plans would continue to face “difficulties” from opponents without further concessions to Anglican conservatives.

“The General Synod is going to have to react in some way to the obvious feelings in various parts of the country,” he said.

Meanwhile a bishop has warned the church may have to use volunteer vicars to overcome a crisis of money and manpower.

Parishes in rural areas such as the West Country may be the first to recruit the part time preachers as vicars retire more quickly than new recruits join the clergy.

Falling church attendances and rising costs of maintenance are also squeezing budgets for many dioceses.

The Bishop of Truro, the Right Reverend Tim Thornton, believes the church will have to be flexible about using its clergy in the future.

He said: “As many stipendiary clergy in the country will retire in the next few years we have to think about how this will affect our parishes.

Source (used with permission)