Church gags female priest debate
By Simon Kirby
October 24, 2006

THE Sydney Anglican church tonight emphatically resisted the first challenge to its exclusion of women priests for six years.

The annual synod in Sydney, which brings together more than 600 clergy and laity over five days, voted in a secret ballot against reopening the debate over female ordination.

About two-thirds of lay members and almost 85 per cent of clergy voted against putting the issue back on the synod agenda.

The Reverend Chris Albany, of South Hurstville, was behind the attempt, arguing the opinion of the synod's members might have changed in the years since they last discussed the issue.

The Anglican Church's decision on the matter of women bishops, due later this year, gave the issue currency once again, he said. the rest