LONDON (AFP) - The General Synod of the Church of England voted to ditch legal obstacles preventing the ordination of women as bishops, delighting church modernisers but prompting traditionalists to warn of new divisions.The Bishop of Southwark, the Right Reverend Tom Butler, proposed the motion which won the support of 41 bishops with six opposed, while 167 clergy members backed the resolution with 46 against.The leader of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, addressed the forum before the vote, which saw those in favour win the day in the face of bitter opposition from traditionalists, who argued there was no biblical precedent since Christ's apostles were all male.Butler told the 500 delegates that women bishops had been openly in ministry in the Anglican Communion for 17 years.He said: "In no way can it be claimed that in seeking at this time to test the mind of the Church of England we act hastily or precipitately.""I believe that there are good ecclesiological and theological reasons why women should now be able to be ordained bishop."
