Women clergy could leave Church of England if plans to resrict powers approved

The Times
October 17, 2009
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

Dozens of women clergy and hundreds of lay members could leave the Church of England if plans to restrict the powers of women bishops are approved.

Supporters of women priests said that female clergy and even male clergy could defect to the Methodist or Lutheran churches.

They could also go to Scotland, a liberal province of the Anglican Communion where two dioceses are seeking new bishops. It is believed that one could make history by electing Britain’s first woman bishop. Some might even emigrate to the United States, which, with Canada and Australia, already has women bishops. the rest