If their plan – which involves creating a new class of male-only “nominated bishops” who would look after parishes that oppose female leadership in the Church – is accepted it would likely stop Anglo-Catholics and conservative evangelicals leaving.
But it would anger liberals who want women bishops to be equal to their male counterparts rather than “second-class” clerics, and reaction so far has been mixed.
If the gamble by Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu does not pay off, it will be widely seen as a failure of leadership as well as prompting more talk about defections to Rome – followed by compensation claims from disaffected clergy and legal battles over the ownership of churches that it many cases predate the Reformation.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is already under pressure from the progressive wing of the Anglican Communion after he prevented an old friend, the openly homosexual cleric Dr Jeffrey John, from becoming a bishop for the second time.
Although sexuality and the appointment of the next Bishop of Southwark are not on the agenda for the gathering at York University - the last of the “quinquennium”, or five-year parliament – it is likely they will be raised during debates and a formal question session.
The Archdeacon of Northampton, the Ven Christine Allsopp, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Synod should favour the simplified plan put forward by the Revision Committee that provides a “code of practice” to cater for opponents of women bishops.
“My hope is that people will gather around that particular draft measure and vote for it.”
She added: “I personally find it very difficult and very embarrassing trying to explain this to people who find it quite extraordinary.
“We must move forward with this because it is damaging.”
Dr Philip Giddings, a prominent lay member of Synod from Oxford diocese, agreed that the majority in the Church agree that women should be allowed to become bishops but went on: “The issue is how we can continue together given that there are a significant number of people who cannot accept this development.
“We have to look very carefully at what will enable that part of the church to minister faithfully without undermining the position of the women who will be bishops. It is not going to be easy.”
Whatever legislation is agreed by Synod over the weekend will be sent out to each diocese in England for approval and would then need to be voted through by a two-third majority in each house of Synod – clergy, laity and bishops – in 2012.
It would then have to become law and so the first woman is unlikely to don a mitre before 2014.
But it would anger liberals who want women bishops to be equal to their male counterparts rather than “second-class” clerics, and reaction so far has been mixed.
If the gamble by Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu does not pay off, it will be widely seen as a failure of leadership as well as prompting more talk about defections to Rome – followed by compensation claims from disaffected clergy and legal battles over the ownership of churches that it many cases predate the Reformation.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is already under pressure from the progressive wing of the Anglican Communion after he prevented an old friend, the openly homosexual cleric Dr Jeffrey John, from becoming a bishop for the second time.
Although sexuality and the appointment of the next Bishop of Southwark are not on the agenda for the gathering at York University - the last of the “quinquennium”, or five-year parliament – it is likely they will be raised during debates and a formal question session.
The Archdeacon of Northampton, the Ven Christine Allsopp, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Synod should favour the simplified plan put forward by the Revision Committee that provides a “code of practice” to cater for opponents of women bishops.
“My hope is that people will gather around that particular draft measure and vote for it.”
She added: “I personally find it very difficult and very embarrassing trying to explain this to people who find it quite extraordinary.
“We must move forward with this because it is damaging.”
Dr Philip Giddings, a prominent lay member of Synod from Oxford diocese, agreed that the majority in the Church agree that women should be allowed to become bishops but went on: “The issue is how we can continue together given that there are a significant number of people who cannot accept this development.
“We have to look very carefully at what will enable that part of the church to minister faithfully without undermining the position of the women who will be bishops. It is not going to be easy.”
Whatever legislation is agreed by Synod over the weekend will be sent out to each diocese in England for approval and would then need to be voted through by a two-third majority in each house of Synod – clergy, laity and bishops – in 2012.
It would then have to become law and so the first woman is unlikely to don a mitre before 2014.
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