Plea to press on over women bishops

The Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester, said it would make him "very sad" if the Church were to choose "simply to kick the whole thing into touch" amid fears about division.

The Bishop, who headed a report into the possible options to the Church over the consecration of women bishops, said there were dangers in further delay.

"We are aware of those who argue that now is not the right time, that there are too many other difficult issues around, that the balance of arithmetic within the Church may be different in a few years time.

"But the fact is of course that any legislative process is going to take several years to complete even if we take the first steps now."

He added: "I think the one thing that we would all be sad about would be if this Synod on Monday simply were to kick the whole thing into touch."

The Bishop's remarks were made at the start of a two-hour debate exposing the divisions within the Church over how it might proceed to introduce women bishops.

The General Synod has already backed the concept of women bishops in principle but now faces a decision about how much it is prepared to make special arrangements for those who object to women bishops on grounds of conscience.

The debate heard from traditionalists calling for special legislation to protect objectors to women bishops through the introduction of new dioceses.

Others said they were concerned about the unity of the Church if these dioceses were to be introduced - while some called for delay.