Archbishop's plea to church over women bishops

The Archbishop of Canterbury will issue a plea today for the Church of England to "challenge fear" within its ranks as new legislation to introduce women bishops looks on course to gain approval later this year.

The Most Rev Justin Welby is due to say that there needs to be a "cultural change" in the life of the Church to build love and trust between opposing groups.

"We have agreed and God willing we follow this through over the next few months until it is part of an agreed measure, that we will ordain women as bishops," he will say in his presidential address to the General Synod.

"At the same time we have agreed that while doing that, we want all parts of the Church to flourish. If we are to challenge fear we have to find a cultural change in the life of the Church, in the way our groups and parties work, sufficient to build love and trust."

His remarks were being made after the General Synod voted yesterday to fast track legislation which could see the first woman bishop in the Church of England selected by the end of the year.

Females priests have welcomed fast-track legislation which could see women bishops selected in the Church of England by the end of the year.

Legislation which could see the first female bishop in the Church of England selected before the end of this year has been hailed as a step towards the "Promised Land".

A move to halve the consultation period was backed by 358 General Synod members, with 39 voting against and nine abstaining.

Lois Haslam, a member from Chester diocese, speaking in the debate over the legislation, said: "I feel something like what Moses must have felt as he approached the promised land.

"We have wandered round women bishops legislation for many, many years, we are now approaching the promised land and it is exciting."

The General Synod has backed legislation which could see the first female bishop in the Church of England selected before the end of this year.

The move to halve the consultation period was backed by 358 members, with 39 voting against and nine abstaining.

The Church decides changes "as a family", which is why the debate of women bishops had been raging for 20 years, Rev Sally Hitchiner told Daybreak.

"The problem is that we are not business. We can't just decide things because it is best for our brand," said the Anglican priest.

"We have to decide things as a family, and as a family we have to make sure no one gets left out. So, that's why it has taken this really long process.

"It is quite embarrassing - most of my friends outside the Church think we're quite bonkers. In this day and age why are still there things women cannot do in the UK?"

Read: Church of England Synod to vote on women bishops