Grand Rapids, USA - The all-male policy-making body of the Christian Reformed Church remains off-limits to women.
At its annual meeting, the church's synod voted down a proposal Wednesday that would have allowed female delegates to be part of future synods.
When most of the church's regional governing groups allow female ministers, then allowing women in the synod should be considered, the delegates decided. Twenty-two of the 47 groups allow female ministers.
"It's just untenable that women who serve in so many capacities in the denomination can't be part of the decision-making body of the church," a tearful Stephanie Baker Collins told The Grand Rapids Press.
Collins was one of four women who were on a study committee that recommended the change.
Others feared the move would reopen old wounds from the CRC's decades-long battle over women in office.
"At this point, it would have been a mistake to push it further," said the Rev. Daniel Mouw of the South Grandville Christian Reformed Church.
"There are many people who still believe deeply that women should not be serving as ministers."
The delegates, who are meeting this week in the Chicago suburb of Palos Heights, Ill., also rejected a study committee recommendation that local churches should be allowed to ordain female ministers even if that church's regional governing group does not approve.
The 300,000-member church is based in Grand Rapids.