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Bishop of Salisbury's 'great joy' at women Bishops Confirmation

The Bishop of Salisbury, the Right Revd Nicholas Holtam, has expressed his ‘great joy’ that the legislation allowing women to become Church of England bishops has passed its final hurdle.

Right Revd Nicholas Holtam

The Church of England has now formally adopted legislation which means its first female bishops could be ordained next year.

It was a great joy to go to General Synod to vote on the ordination of women to the episcopate for the last time. Alleluia!

Last night in Salisbury Cathedral, there was a service to mark 20 years of women in priestly ministry. We looked back with thanksgiving and forward with hope. For women to minister alongside men in all three orders of ordained ministry is in George Herbert's phrase, ‘heaven in ordinary ’ and, for the C of E, ‘something understood’.

– Right Revd Nicholas Holtam