An almost unexpected “no”, but “this vote is certainly not the end of the story”: this the Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of the Anglican Communion underlined on the radio with the BBC, Rowan Williams, after the startling decision at the General Synod of the Church of England on the proposal to introduce the consecration of female bishops.
The system that regulates the activity of the Synod is strict, requiring a two thirds majority in each of the three houses, in order to pass the proposal to pass the proposal, but it was not reached.
In fact, the current Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate – who together with his recently nominated successor, the Bishop of Durham, Justin Welby, voted “yes” to female episcopal ordination – see this as only a temporary setback. Within three years the motion can, with the regulations, be set again to the attention of the Synod for subsequent approval.