The date for the Church of England to get its first woman bishop was put back for four years today.
Church leaders said there was no chance of the CofE consecrating a woman to the highest tier of its clergy before 2014.
And they admitted to growing difficulties over the implications of admitting women to the highest ranks of the Church while many thousands of clergy and churchgoers remain implacably opposed to the idea that women can be priests at all.
Campaigners for women bishops have been hoping to change the law fast enough for the CofE to have its first woman bishop by 2010.
The Church has ordained women as priests since 1993. But a large minority of Anglo-Catholic and evangelical clergy and their flocks have not accepted the idea.
Today's report said the Church would risk a mass walkout by opponents of women priests if women are put in positions of authority over them.
In an analysis to be considered by the CofE's existing bishops, it said the Church could still put on the brakes and stop the process of further promotion of women.
It suggested that if the Church goes ahead, it should set up separate dioceses without geographical boundaries for those who cannot accept women.
This it, warned, would mean a 'Swiss cheese' church with holes in dioceses across the country where dissenting parishes had chosen to join a men-only diocese.
It also called for reforms to religious law to reassure those who do not accept women leaders that they are still welcome as Anglicans.
The report, produced by a committee headed by Bishop of Manchester Nigel McCulloch, is the second high-level CofE paper this month to sound a caution over women bishops.
A paper on behalf of bishops early in April said that the arguments remained to be settled and warned that the clash with the Roman Catholic church which will follow if women bishops are appointed should be regarded "extremely seriously".
Yesterday's report said the difficulties should be confronted and decisions made quickly.
"The Church of England now faces some very serious decisions. They go to the heart of what sort of Church it wishes to be," it said.
"Far better that those issues are faced calmly, honestly and prayerfully now than that the Synod should set off down a road which may, ultimately, fail to command sufficient consensus."
It said that if sufficient protection for opponents of women were not put in place, this 'would trigger a period of uncertainty and turbulence within the Church of England.
"Many priests and congregations would undoubtedly leave. The Church of England that emerged at the end of the process might possibly be more cohesive. It would undoubtedly be less theologically diverse."
At present three like-minded 'flying bishops' minister to those clergy and congregations that will not accept women priests. But the compromise will no longer work if women are consecrated as bishops.
The report suggested two new 'Swiss cheese' dioceses in the south of England and one in the north would be necessary to meet the fears of opponents.
It also said that women bishops would be likely to lead to new difficulties over whether women should be appointed to the CofE's most senior posts as Archbishops of Canterbury or York.
A woman Archbishop of Canterbury would not be accepted by many Anglicans abroad who would be under her authority, the report said.
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