Bishops still have work to do to resolve the concerns of women clergy such as Rev Dr Miranda Threlfall-Holmes
When she heard the result of the vote, the Rev Dr Miranda Threlfall-Holmes couldn't help but think of what could have been. If the General Synod had been voting on the legislation as it was, the 288 votes to 144 would have given the two-thirds majority needed to enable women to become bishops.
But the synod was on Monday voting to adjourn legislation because of opposition from female clergy such as Threlfall-Holmes, who objects to the amendment added in May to appease conservatives. "I felt cold all over and thought: yes, we could have been voting on the original legislation and it might have gone through."
She now wonders whether a solution would be to insert a different amendment. "Not just to try and tweak the wording, because I don't think that's going to work. But maybe put something in that's a lot more open and gracious and, frankly, a lot more Christian."
Her suggestion is that female bishops from countries whose Anglican churches already allow them into the episcopate – such as the US or Australia – advise the Church of England bishops "as equals".
Whatever their tactics, the bishops will have to do something to reassure Threlfall-Holmes and other women clergy that they have listened to their concerns. Because for her, at least, the stakes could not be higher. She has considered resigning over the issue.
"The question is: at what point are you just colluding with injustice? Because there are 3,500 ordained women; we are helping prop up the Church of England. It would collapse without us. And if it is fundamentally unjust, is that the right thing to be doing?"