Vatican steps into row over women bishops

By OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT

London

July 8: The Anglican Church in Britain, which is on verge of a split after it allowed the ordination of women bishops, is now facing criticism from the Vatican over the issue. The Anglican Church in Britain had first ordained women priests in 1994.

Reconciliation between Anglicans and Catholics will be affected by the vote on women bishops, the Vatican has said.

The motion on allowing women bishops was carried by a division of the three houses of synod: In the House of Bishops, 28 voted for the motion, 12 against and there was one abstention. In the House of Clergy, 124 voted in favour, 44 against with 4 abstentions. And, finally in the House of Laity, there were 111 votes for the motion, 68 against and two abstentions. The Church of England general synod in 2006 had voted in principle to allow women to become bishops.

However, actual ordination of women bishops will have to wait until a code of practise is drawn up over the issue. A group within the church will draw up a draft of the code, which will be put before the synod next February. The path to actual ordination of women bishops will only be cleared one the code is approved and implemented. The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who is second in hierarchy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, accused the Church of England of wasting time.