Anglican Church of Australia approves female bishops

September 28, 2007

The Anglican Church in Australia has cleared the way for women to become diocesan bishops. In a majority decision the Anglican Church’s highest legal authority, the Appellate Tribunal, found that there was nothing in the Church Constitution to prevent a female priest from being consecrated as a Bishop. The decision means there could be female Bishops as early as next year. The Church has permitted female priests for more than a decade.

Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen opposed the decision. "While I respect the judicial procedures which have led to this result I am disappointed that the matter has now been resolved in this way," Dr Jensen said. "Those who are opposed to this development base their objection on conscientious grounds as a matter of biblical principle."