Ruth Gledhill: Church of England faces ruin over women bishops

Times Online
July 5, 2008
Ruth Gledhill

The Church of England is in danger of "shattering" into thousands of stained-glass pieces if women are ordained as bishops, its governing body was warned this morning.

Members of the General Synod urged church leaders to postpone a decision on women bishops until more detailed proposals could be drawn up on how to care for opponents.

More than 1,300 clergy are threatening to leave the Church if women are consecrated to the episcopate without legislation enacted to protect them.

The Anglo-Catholic wing wants a special, extra-geographical diocese or province created as a woman-bishop and woman-priest free zone, to preserve the Church's apostolic tradition of a male-only priesthood.
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General Synod - Summary of Business Conducted on Saturday 5th July 2008

WOMEN BISHOPS: REPORT OF THE WOMEN BISHOPS LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING GROUP (GS 1685)
The Bishop of Manchester moved the report.
Following debate, the report was carried by the Synod.

Audio of session

Following lunch, the Archbishop of York gave a Presidential Address.