After a long and emotional legislative session marked by the defeat of13 of 14 proposed amendments, the General Synod of the Church of England on July 7 approved legislation on how it will begin to consecrate women as bishops.
 
“In these painstaking steps we have taken we have produced a painstaking motion which lifts the bar on women forever,” Bishop James Jones of Liverpool said, as reported by the Times of London. “There are some who have consistently said a code of practice cannot provide what is needed... I hope that those who remain doubtful about a code will give the motion a chance. If we let the Holy Spirit work a code could emerge that would provide a way forward everyone can embrace.” Bishop Jones spoke immediately after a final attempt to delay a decision was defeated.
 
General Synod is the highest legislative body in the Church of England. Unlike the triennial General Convention of The Episcopal Church, General Synod meets three times a year. In 2005, representatives to synod approved a measure to consecrate women as bishops. Most of the debate at this session has been over what if any protection would be provided for those who cannot accept the change out of theological convictions.
 
Synod was asked to choose between a structural change to create a separate,  non-geographic diocese and a “code of practice” for traditionalists. The final vote in favor of the guidelines was 28 for, 12 against, with 1 abstention among bishops; 124 for, 44 against, and 4 abstentions by clergy;and 111 for, 68 against, with 2 abstentions in the lay order.
 
The language of the approved motion calls for “special arrangements [to] be available, within the existing structures of the Church of England, for those who as a matter of theological conviction will not be able to receive the ministry of women as bishops or priests.” It also affirms“that these should be contained in a statutory national code of practice to which all concerned would be required to have regard,” but a recent ruling by the House of Lords determined that the so-called code of practice is not legallyenforceable through judicial review. The possibility of making a code legally binding was also rejected by the group charged with developing recommendations for synod.
 
Reprinted by permission of The Living Church (www.livingchurch.org)