Anglicans OK Compromise on Women Bishops

Anglican leaders today overwhelmingly endorsed a compromise resolution allowing the consecration of women as bishops.

The motion was adopted by 423 votes to 28, with 19 abstentions.

Archbishop of Canterbury Robert A. K. Runcie had warned that this year’s Lambeth Conference could be the last if a compromise was not reached.

The compromise was similar to one adopted at the last Lambeth Conference in 1978, when Anglican leaders avoided dissension over the issue of women priests by leaving the decision on whether to ordain them up to the churches within the 70-million-strong worldwide Communion.

The conference is divided between bishops in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Brazil, who have ordained more than 1,000 women priests and are now intent on consecrating them as bishops, and traditionalists who are threatening an exodus to the more traditional Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.