The Church of England on Monday postponed a final decision on whether to ordain women bishops, an issue that has caused years of wrangling between traditionalists and liberals. The General Synod, the governing body of the worldwide Anglican Communion’s mother church, voted instead to hold further discussions on a last-minute amendment that had angered senior female clergy. A final vote is now likely in November. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the communion’s spiritual leader, told the meeting at the University of York in northern England that the adjournment would help “lower the temperature” over the debate. “It is quite clear that the reaction cannot be ignored,” he said. “When there is a reaction of real hurt and offence in the Church, Christians, and Christian pastors in particular, cannot afford to ignore it.” The General Synod members voted 288 in favour of an adjournment, 144 against and 15 abstained.
