Latvian Lutherans end ordination of women priests
by George Conger, Anglican Ink:
The General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (Latvijas Evaņģēliski luteriskās baznīcas) has voted to end the ordination of women to the priesthood. Meeting in Riga on 3 June 2015 the synod of the Latvian Church — an observer member of the Porvoo Communion — amended the canon on ordination that read: “anyone who according to the regulations set by the [church] is called by God and trained for ministry can seek ordination” to “any male candidate who according to the regulations set by the [church] is called by God and trained for the ministry can seek ordination.” The amendment passed on a vote of 201 “for”, 59 “against” and 22 abstentions, receiving 77 per cent support. In order for the amendment to have been adopted it required a three-quarters vote. In 1975 the synod authorized the ordination of women to the priesthood.. However since his election in 1993 the Archbishop of Riga Jānis Vanags (…) has declined to ordain women to the priesthood, arguing the experiment had not worked in Latvia. Archbishop Vanags, who did not speak during the debate, has argued that there is no warrant for women priests found in Scripture and is contrary to the tradition of the church.
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