Fifteen CofE Bishops write letter to clergy

Leading traditionalists in the Church of England admit they are "not united" in their response to the introduction of women bishops, but some are vowing to stay and "defeat" the current plan.
By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent
01 Aug 2010

A letter sent by 15 bishops on the Anglo-Catholic wing concedes that some clergy and lay people will now convert to the Roman Catholic Church after they suffered a defeat at a critical meeting.

But it goes on to say that others will chose to remain in the Church of England, despite their opposition to women joining the episcopate, some because of "family loyalties" or even "financial necessity".

The defeat of the Archbishop of Canterbury by supporters of women bishops
Paraguay's ex-priest president hit with second paternity claimAnd the prelates point out that the current plan to introduce female bishops without any significant compromise to opponents must still clear several hurdles in dioceses across the country and then at the General Synod, the Church's governing body, so there is still a chance it may fail. the rest

Letter
The Rt Revd John Hind, Bishop of Chichester
The Rt Revd Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of Europe
The Rt Revd Nicholas Reade, Bishop of Blackburn
The Rt Revd Martyn Jarrett, Bishop of Beverley
The Rt Revd John Broadhurst, Bishop of Fulham
The Rt Revd Peter Wheatley, Bishop of Edmonton
The Rt Revd John Goddard, Bishop of Burnley
The Rt Revd Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet
The Rt Revd Keith Newton, Bishop of Richborough
The Rt Revd Tony Robinson, Bishop of Pontefract
The Rt Revd John Ford, Bishop of Plymouth
The Rt Revd Mark Sowerby, Bishop of Horsham
The Rt Revd Martin Warner, Bishop of Whitby
The Rt Revd Robert Ladds
The Rt Revd Lindsay Urwin OGS