THE Bishop of Portsmouth said today that the Church of England would be poorer without women bishops – for now.

The Church of England's General Synod

The Rt Rev Christopher Foster said he shared the disappointment of many as the Church of England’s ruling body voted not to approve legislation that would have seen the first women appointed as bishops.

The General Synod voted in favour of having women bishops yesterday (Nov 20), but not by the two-thirds majority required for the legislation to be approved. It needed to pass that threshold in all three of the ‘Houses’ of the synod – the bishops, the clergy and the lay people.

More than two-thirds of the bishops voted in favour (by 44 to 3, with 2 abstentions), and more than two-thirds of the clergy members also voted in favour (by 148 to 45). The laity (non-clergy) voted 132 to 74 in favour, which was just six votes short of the two-thirds majority needed.

In total 324 members of the General Synod voted to approve the legislation – 72 per cent of the total - and 122 voted to reject it.

Bishop Christopher said: “I share the disappointment of so many that this measure was defeated, especially for the pain and disappointment that this is to women clergy and many others among us. The ministry of ordained women is highly valued in this diocese and in our church. Both the church and our communities benefit greatly from their gifts and experience and we shall be the poorer without their presence for now as bishops.

“Some, as I know well, have held deep reservations about this development in our church's understanding and I shall continue to wish to maintain close contact with them and to support them.

“For now we shall need to hold disappointment and pain as we seek God's will in prayer for the future. In the diocese we expressed strong support for women to be ordained as bishops but there is clearly work to be done and conversation to share about the way forward towards what is clearly the will of the Church.

“Our common commitment remains to serve Christ in our witness and ministry to the people of our communities as we worship in our parishes and communities, and as we play a full part in God's mission in his world and for his people.”

In November 2011, Portsmouth’s Diocesan Synod voted in favour of legislation that would have seen the first women bishops. Read about it here. Overall 42 out of the Church of England’s 44 dioceses voted in favour.