The Church of England will allow female bishops

[Ultimate Paragon]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28300618

The Church of England has voted to allow women to become bishops for first time in its history.

Its ruling General Synod gave approval to legislation introducing the change by the required two-thirds majority.

A previous vote in 2012 was backed by the Houses of Bishops and Clergy but blocked by traditionalist lay members.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said he was "delighted" but some opponents said they were unconvinced by the concessions offered to them.

The crucial vote in the House of Laity went 152 in favour, 45 against, and there were five abstentions. In November 2012 the change was derailed by just six votes cast by the lay members.

In the house of Bishops, 37 were in favour, two against, and there was one abstention. The House of Clergy voted 162 in favour, 25 against and there were four abstentions.

This is huge.

[ironbite]

It'd be even bigger if they'd admit homosexuals are people too.

Ironbite-but this is just as good.

[Random Gal]

The Catholic Church has been doing a lot of work to bring the Anglicans back into the fold lately. I wonder how they'll respond to this.

[Witchyjoshy]

It'd be even bigger if they'd admit homosexuals are people too.

Ironbite-but this is just as good.

I think they already do.

[Ironchew]

The Catholic Church has been doing a lot of work to bring the Anglicans back into the fold lately. I wonder how they'll respond to this.

They despise the decision no doubt, but they will include the women priests in the total when the Catholic church throws large numbers at other denominations.

Women can now wear the funny hats too. Infiltrating the hierarchy of a thoroughly corrupt organization is a dubious goal, but I don't really care.

[mellenORL]

C of E is decades behind the Episcopalians, the American offspring of the Anglican Church, when it comes to women in the clergy and acceptance of LGBTQs.

There is a general and bitter schism between conservative Anglicans and moderate Anglicans world wide. The conservatives are nearly Dominionist in their views, especially in Africa.

[Katsuro]

So God has changed his mind after a vote again?  Because the Bible is quite clear on a woman's place in church.

I understand why everyone hails things like this as being a good, but at the same time am I the only one who thinks things like this just illustrate further how utterly ridiculous organised religion is and is staggered at how those at the centre can't see it?

[RavynousHunter]

So God has changed his mind after a vote again?  Because the Bible is quite clear on a woman's place in church.

I understand why everyone hails things like this as being a good, but at the same time am I the only one who thinks things like this just illustrate further how utterly ridiculous organised religion is and is staggered at how those at the centre can't see it?

Nope, you ain't the only one.  Though, the ones at the top might realize.  I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if there were a fair number of high-ranking clergymen of any denomination that are closet atheists: they hold no particular belief in any god, but the know that they can use it to gain power and prestige, something that's quite attractive to those with the charisma to pull it off.

[Sigmaleph]

So God has changed his mind after a vote again?  Because the Bible is quite clear on a woman's place in church.

I understand why everyone hails things like this as being a good, but at the same time am I the only one who thinks things like this just illustrate further how utterly ridiculous organised religion is and is staggered at how those at the centre can't see it?

I tend to see it like this: We already know they're willing to let go of stuff in the book if it's inconvenient, so we should at least be happy that they are also willing to let go of the stuff that's stupid.

[Ironchew]

I don't really care.

After giving it some more thought, I came to the conclusion that this could be a good thing. Not at all because of preservation of the church, but because women are now included in the administrative functions of an organization that wields state power and brings the community together (looking at it from the perspective of an American; I'm not sure how much cultural influence the Church of England has in the UK). Churches have taken several community functions that aren't necessarily religious in nature (congregating, having a speaker address an audience on a regular basis, helping the needy, etc.) and tried their damndest to mark it all with the indelible territorial scent of religion. While I don't feel any particular need to sit in a pew every Sunday, I can understand cultural, non-religious reasons why people would want to do that and it's why I'm not against the "atheist megachurch" as a concept.

It would be nice if the religious organization itself fell to the wayside, but I see the cultural significance of including women in the day-to-day decision making of an organization that allegedly holds a community together.

[Witchyjoshy]

So God has changed his mind after a vote again?  Because the Bible is quite clear on a woman's place in church.

I understand why everyone hails things like this as being a good, but at the same time am I the only one who thinks things like this just illustrate further how utterly ridiculous organised religion is and is staggered at how those at the centre can't see it?

Nope, you ain't the only one.  Though, the ones at the top might realize.  I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if there were a fair number of high-ranking clergymen of any denomination that are closet atheists: they hold no particular belief in any god, but the know that they can use it to gain power and prestige, something that's quite attractive to those with the charisma to pull it off.

If I recall correctly, one of the Episcopalian bishops is an open agnostic, maybe even atheist, who views Christ as an allegory.  Spong, I think his name is.

@Ironchew

That is... quite a pleasant surprise to hear you say something good about a religion taking a step forward in spite of some of their regressive beliefs.  Kudos.

[Old Viking]

I found the new policy so startling that it took me at least a minute to nod off.

[starseeker]

So God has changed his mind after a vote again?  Because the Bible is quite clear on a woman's place in church.

I understand why everyone hails things like this as being a good, but at the same time am I the only one who thinks things like this just illustrate further how utterly ridiculous organised religion is and is staggered at how those at the centre can't see it?

Nope, you ain't the only one.  Though, the ones at the top might realize.  I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if there were a fair number of high-ranking clergymen of any denomination that are closet atheists: they hold no particular belief in any god, but the know that they can use it to gain power and prestige, something that's quite attractive to those with the charisma to pull it off.

If I recall correctly, one of the Episcopalian bishops is an open agnostic, maybe even atheist, who views Christ as an allegory.  Spong, I think his name is.

@Ironchew

That is... quite a pleasant surprise to hear you say something good about a religion taking a step forward in spite of some of their regressive beliefs.  Kudos.

Jokes about atheist CoE clergy have been around for decades. It's the side effect of having a state church and only allowing members of said church into higher education for a century or two.

In terms of cultural influence, the other joke is most members only turn up for Xmas and Easter, or it's the default answer if you're vaguely religious.