Pressure mounts to put off women bishops vote

A bishop last night called for an historic Church of England vote next month on ordaining women to the episcopacy to be put on hold amid growing acrimony over concessions to traditionalists.
By John Bingham
23 Jun 2012

The Bishop of Sherborne, Dr Graham Kings, said a recent compromise to those who cannot accept the authority of a woman should be reconsidered.

His comments echo a call from representatives of parishioners in the Diocese of Salisbury who dramatically broke ranks this week in a special vote demanding bishops rethink the recent concessions.

The Church’s General Synod is due to take a final vote on women bishops when it meets in York next month, supposedly ending a tortuous 12-year process.

But senior figures are now bracing themselves for the prospect of the measure collapsing altogether because of the new row.

There is strong support in the Church of England for women bishops but sharp disagreement over the details of any special arrangements to accommodate those who are opposed. the rest