Welsh Church Discusses Female Bishops

Church of Wales has begun two-day discussion on whether or not to allow women bishops

The Church of Wales has begun a discussion on whether or not to allow female bishops, after the last vote on ordination, held in 2008, was lost by just three votes.

Today’s meeting will last two days and will be held in Lampeter, South West Wales. 144 members of the Church of Wales will consider the case and draft a Bill, which will then be put to a vote in September.

'It is now five years since the last time the governing body considered the question of the ordination of women to the episcopate, and many of its members will have changed,' the Bishop of St Asaph, the Right Reverend Gregory Cameron told the BBC.

Last November, the Church of England opted against allowing women bishops.

Lord Harries of Pentregarth, a former Bishop of Oxford, said: 'I think it would be very interesting and salutary if the Church in Wales over the next year or two had women bishops and the Church of England didn't. It would be good to see the Church in Wales giving us a lead on this.'

However, Archdeacon of Cardigan, William Strange told BBC Radio Wales: 'It is not simply a misogynist anti-women thing. For them it is a matter of principle and of people who share their convictions.'

LATEST WORLD NEWS