THE Church in Wales voted on Thursday evening to permit women to
be bishops.
Cheers and applause greeted the result as it was announced at
the Governing Body, which is meeting at the University of Wales
Trinity St David in Lampeter, Ceredigion.
Members of the Governing Body removed a clause which would have
delayed the implementation of the Bill until a separate Bill
providing statutory provision for opponents had been passed.
Instead, the Bill To Enable Women To Be Consecrated As Bishops
will take effect a year today (12 September 2014); and the Bench of
Bishops will now have to prepare a code of practice "without delay"
to provide for "those who in conscience dissent" from the
ordination of women to the episcopate.
The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, said that the bishops
would "consult widely" on the code of practice, and would ensure it
was debated at the next meeting of the Governing Body at Llandudno
in April before being presented in its final form next
September.
The voting figures for the Bill, which required a two-third
majority in each House, were:
Laity: 57 Ayes, 14 Noes and two abstentions
Clergy: 37 Ayes, 10 Noes
Bishops: 6 Ayes