Church turmoil over women bishops

General Synod members refused to back proposals from the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Rt Rev John Packer, seen as a attempt to avert a damaging split within the Church over women bishops.

Under the proposals from the Rt Rev Packer, the Church of England would have explored two options - those of a national code of practice and so-called "super bishops" to cater for parishes which oppose women bishops.

Earlier, the Synod refused to back proposals for new dioceses for those Church of England parishes which feel they cannot accept women bishops.

The Synod members also threw out an amendment by campaigners in favour of women bishops who oppose special legislation to protect objectors.

The votes come four hours into a debate at the University of York which saw at times impassioned contributions from both campaigners in favour of women's ordination and traditionalists.

The Archbishops of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, speaking at the beginning of the debate, indicated he would be in favour of "more rather than a less robust" form of accommodation for objectors.

He said it would not make for the "health of the church" if certain kinds of legislation ended the presence of "unsettling questions" from conservative evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, also backed compromise with objectors, speaking in favour of the Rt Rev Packer's amendment.

Outside the debate, the Rev Prebendary David Houlding, of Hampstead, London, a leading Anglo-Catholic, said: "It is getting worse, it is going downhill very badly. It is quite clear there is a pincer movement and we are being squeezed out."