Well, the Church of England, Great Britain's state established church has done it! They've approved of the ordination of Female Bishops, a move only preceded by the Church's American and Australian offshoots.
The Times are reporting that the vote was approximately two to one in favour of ordaining women to the episcopate, but contends that none of the amendments previously discussed by Church leaders to foster havens for traditionalists were passed indicating including "Super Bishops" akin to the churches flying bishops, not to be confused with the flying nun.
The decision led to members warning of the prospect of traditionalists seeking supervision from conservative archbishops in overseas provinces, as conservatives have in the US, after the dispute over gay ordination.
Catholic and evangelical bishops are also understood to have held secret talks in Rome to discuss how to proceed with unity talks once women are ordained, and what, if any, kind of recognition might be granted to Anglo-Catholics by Rome.
Ruth Gledhill said in her blog that " If motion failed or was close, would be a sign that no clear unifying ecclesiology existed in the CofE." [sic]
I contend that the vote in favour of the measure has in fact rendered the existence of a unifying ecclesiology, if any ecclesiology, non-existent. The next step for the original "Church of England" is to become as riddled and mired in heterodoxy, schism and increasing irrelevance much as the North American Churches she founded some centuries ago presently are.
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