Church of England refuses ordination of women bishops

UNITED KINGDOM - Members of the Anglican church senate have blocked the ordination of women bishops. Bishops and clergy voted in favor of the change by large majorities but
failed to reach the two-thirds majority among lay members. The vote came at the end of a day long debate and twenty years of the debate to approve the ordination of women priests.  The house voted to keep women bishops out for a generation. 

 The vote needed a two-thirds majority of the clergy and house of senate. The Bishops gave that but the Laity didn't. The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, a staunch advocate women bishops was not happy at the outcome of Tuesday's vote. 

Some members of the church think this is an old fashioned view of Christianity while the Laity lay claim to biblical references which states that the disciples were men.  Other high standing members of the church do not want to break the church's long-standing link with the catholic church. Twenty years ago, when women priests were ordained in the Church of England, thousands of members  deflected to the catholic church which happen .