|TOP|Hereford diocese has taken the bold step of rejecting the Church of England’s compromise plan for women bishops by giving its full backing for the ordination of women.

The General Synod voted in favour of “further exploration” of the compromise proposals issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury to allow parishes to opt out of the care of women bishops.

Hereford’s Diocesan Synod has now announced its support for a measure to bring about the end laws that currently block women in the Church of England from being ordained as bishops, reports the BBC.

The diocese is now calling on the General Synod to reconsider backing the same proposal.

|AD|According to a diocese spokesman, Hereford members opted for a detailed examination of the issue in order to have more time for discussion.

Bishop of Hereford, Anthony Priddis, reaffirmed his commitment to the ordination of women bishops but stressed the need for the Church to consider all opinions on the sensitive issue.

"I would like to stress the need to listen and continue to understand the positions that are not our own and which cause real pain to some in the church," he said.
"We do need to listen and know at every level of our beings those positions that are not our own."

Overall, 348 members of the Synod backed the call for “further exploration” of the compromise proposal issued by Dr Williams.

The proposed scheme has been titled Transferred Episcopal Arrangements (TEA), and is seen as a compromise that will welcome women bishops without completely isolating those against the plans.

Dr Williams, the spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, said at last month’s Synod that the Church was in “uncharted territory”, but added that keeping the status quo was not an option.

He continued, “We are all in schism, as somebody said many years ago. It is not a question of legislating for schism or providing for schism or whatever - we are there already.

“A question is how we handle it prayerfully, mindfully and decently, and, I would add, hopefully.”