Church of England General Synod - live blog

The archbishops of York and Canterbury. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Archive/Press Association Ima

3.26pm: Just had the first hour or so of General Synod here in Church House, Westminster. While there have been a few nods and winks to the main business for this week's meeting, much of today's action has been taking place off site.

Women and the Church, which has been campaigning for greater sexual equality, held an event earlier today. It is doing a rather good line in ecclesiastical purple tea towels, umbrellas and other paraphernalia proclaiming: "A woman's place is in the House...of Bishops." Nice.

One of the speakers at said rally was Peter Price, the bishop of Bath and Wells. He was asked what would happen if the legislation failed to get the votes it needed in July. He said:

I wish I could say there is a plan B, I don't think there is. The implications of this going down are so far-reaching that we almost dare not face it.

There is a possibility that the legislation won't get the votes needed in July. If it is changed - to offer access to alternative, male leadership for traditionalists - then progressives could kick it into the long grass. If it isn't changed then the traditionalists could kick it into the long grass. It's all very political and very tactical.

I've written a story about the WATCH meeting, it should be on the Guardian website later today and I'll also post a link to it here when it becomes available.

Hello and welcome to the Guardian's live blog from the Church of England General Synod. Why are we liveblogging this? Because we're the Guardian and we'll live blog the opening of an envelope. Seriously, there is a lot up for grabs this week and the key debates focus on the legislation allowing women to become bishops. Think of it as a cheaper, more exciting version of Davos. With cassocks.

The lovely Martin Beckford from the Daily Telegraph has done this handy story outlining who wants what and why:

Women bishops could be ordained by 2014 at the earliest and each of the Church's 44 dioceses would have to develop schemes for how to deal with the conservative evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics who believe scripture and tradition teaches that church leaders must be men.

The Archbishops say the "majority" of bishops are "strongly and positively committed" to the introduction of women bishops, but they are also keen to ensure the Church of England remains a broad church "in which conscientious difference of theological judgement is fully respected."

So the archbishops want women to lead but they want to help those who don't want to be led by women. Christian? Or just annoying?

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2012/feb/06/church-of-england-general-synod-live-blog

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