Australian Anglican Church Rejects Women Priests
The Anglican Church here has narrowly defeated a proposal to allow women to be ordained as priests, touching off a noisy demonstration outside the cathedral here.
It was the fifth time in 15 years the proposal had been defeated by the church’s General Synod, which cannot consider the matter again until its next meeting in two years.
About 20 angry women, some weeping, sang “We Will Be Ordained” outside of St. Andrew’s Cathedral’s chapter house Tuesday night after the proposal was narrowly defeated by church leaders inside.
It had gained the necessary two-thirds majority in the Synod’s Houses of Laity and Bishops but the House of Clergy returned a majority of just 62%.
Some observers speculated the country’s estimated 30 women deacons, eager to move higher in the church’s ministry, may leave Australia and be ordained in countries that accept women priests.
“We built up our expectations, but there are those who won’t wait any longer,” said Patricia Brennan, president of Movement for the Ordination of Women. Of the opponents in the synod, she said, “They are the same people arguing the same things.”
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