Anglicans move ahead with proposal for female bishops, despite threats of schism

London, England, Jan 9, 2006 / 22:00 pm

Although several Anglican communities have expressed their rejection of the proposal, a number of Anglican bishops have said they plan to go ahead with a proposal at the next General Synod to allow women to be ordained bishops.

A group of Anglican leaders opposed to the idea plan to meet at Westminster this month together with over 1000 priests, bishops and laity.  They plan to argue that sacraments administered by women or by any male priest ordained by a female bishop are not authentic.

The leaders say the issue of active homosexuals in the Anglican clergy has already caused enough tension in the communion.

According to document leaked to The Times, if the proposal is approved at the General Assembly, the first female bishops could be ordained in less than six years. 

Many Anglican leaders consider the proposal to be premature and they hope to postpone discussion of the matter for five to ten years. 

The proposal also includes the possibility of allowing a female bishop to be named Archbishop of Canterbury—the primate of the Anglican Church—or Archbishop of York. 

Women currently make up 16% of the total clergy of the Anglican Communion.