LONDON : Women in the Pulpit
The General Synod of the Church of England convenes next Tuesday to give expected final approval to and write into canon law the controversial ordination of female priests.
Of the 31 Anglican provinces worldwide, 12 already ordain women--including those in the United States. But the issue has prompted an outcry in England, making it perhaps the most divisive since the establishment of the church more than four centuries ago.
Leading prelates have argued that the move clashes with English church tradition, and some have taken drastic measures. Preliminary approval has resulted in several prominent Anglican prelates seeking acceptance within the Roman Catholic Church, which still bans female priests.
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