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Church rejects women bishops bill Church rejects women bishops bill
(about 1 hour later)
The Church in Wales' governing body has narrowly rejected proposals to allow women priests to become bishops.The Church in Wales' governing body has narrowly rejected proposals to allow women priests to become bishops.
The controversial bill was defeated by three votes at the 140-member body meeting in Lampeter, despite being backed by the Archbishop of Wales.The controversial bill was defeated by three votes at the 140-member body meeting in Lampeter, despite being backed by the Archbishop of Wales.
Dr Barry Morgan had said he could not see how the church could logically exclude women from becoming bishops. Ahead of the vote, Dr Barry Morgan had urged backing for the bill saying he could not see how women could logically be excluded from becoming bishops.
However, more than 100 clergy warned in December last year they would not accept the ministry of women bishops. Afterwards the church leader spoke of his "great disappointment".
"I feel we won the argument, but we narrowly lost the vote," he said
"I think it is three years before this can be brought forward again and the issue will certainly not be going away."
It is essential that the church makes best use of everybody's talents so this outcome was very upsetting Gill Todd, member of the church's governing body
More than 100 clergy warned in December last year they would not accept the ministry of women bishops.
The bill, proposed by six diocesan bishops, needed a two-thirds majority in each section of the governing body to take effect.The bill, proposed by six diocesan bishops, needed a two-thirds majority in each section of the governing body to take effect.
Its defeat leaves Wales and England as the only UK regions in the Anglican Church that do not have female bishops. Voting was split into three separate sections, the House of Laity, the House of Clerics and the House of Bishops.
Women have been ordained as priests within the Church in Wales since January 1997. The House of Clerics voted 27 to 18 in favour but, with abstentions, missed the required two-thirds majority. The other houses attained the required minimum.
Speaking ahead of the vote on Wednesday, Dr Morgan, said: "I do not personally see how having agreed to ordaining women to both the diaconate and priesthood the church can logically exclude women from the episcopate." Its defeat leaves Wales and England as the only UK regions in the Anglican Church that do not have women bishops. The Anglican Church in Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and the United States already allows women to be ordained as bishops.
One of the three voting sections missed the required majority
Women have been ordained as priests within the Church in Wales since January 1997. There are now 160 women in that role out of a total of 696 clerics in the church.
Gill Todd, a member of the governing body from the Swansea and Brecon Diocese, said she was "very upset and very sad" about the vote.
"I think that this was very strong vote for the church which is filled with talented people, both men and women.
"But it is essential that the church makes best use of everybody's talents so this outcome was very upsetting."
The Rt Rev John Stewart Davies, Bishop of St Asaph, had also supported the bill.The Rt Rev John Stewart Davies, Bishop of St Asaph, had also supported the bill.
But clergy opposed to the change signed a letter published in the Church Times last December warning they would not accept the ministry of women bishops. Clergy opposed to the change signed a letter published in the Church Times last December warning they would not accept the ministry of women bishops.
Among those opposing the bill was the Rev Roy Doxsey, of St German's Church in Cardiff. Among those against was the Rev Roy Doxsey, of St German's Church in Cardiff.
Speaking ahead of the vote, he said: "The bishops are in the apostolic succession and while our Lord had hundreds of disciples, amongst them many, many women, out of those hundreds of disciples he only selected 12 and they were all male."Speaking ahead of the vote, he said: "The bishops are in the apostolic succession and while our Lord had hundreds of disciples, amongst them many, many women, out of those hundreds of disciples he only selected 12 and they were all male."