Here, two commentators from within the Church argue the case for, and against ordaining women.
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The Church of England's theology and tradition both support ordaining women as bishops.
We believe that men and women are made equally in the image of God, equally responsible for our actions, equally given the abilities and qualities for ministry and leadership and equally called to be Christ-like in service to the world.
Above all, we believe that all cultural, racial and gender differences become unimportant in themselves when a person becomes a Christian.
Women, as well as men, are called to communicate the message of God's unconditional love, and we need to have women and men leading together if we are to see a more complete picture of who we are as people created equal in the eyes of God.
Our tradition, the way we do things and what we believe, is always changing as we respond to how we believe God is leading us and what we understand the Bible to be teaching.
Since King Henry VIII founded the Church of England, we have claimed the authority to develop our own policies and our own ways of how we organise and govern our Church.
For instance, the Church of England ordains our own deacons, priests and bishops even though the Roman Catholic Church considers all our orders to be 'null and void' and does not even allow its own priests to marry.
The Church of England is the Established Church in England and, as Archbishop William Temple said over 50 years ago, it exists primarily for those who are not its members.
If for no other reason, in order to reach out to all people in this nation, we should have women serving as bishops.
When women are bishops the Church will show that it takes seriously the message at the heart of the Gospel.
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On face value most reasonable people would say: "Why not?"
Women are doctors, politicians and lawyers. Big business has women of ability in positions of leadership.
So why is there persistent opposition from male and female Christians of all ages?
Much will depend on how you view the Church. Is it simply a human construct?
For me the church is a God-given society founded by Jesus Christ and formed by him during his ministry.
If that is so we need to be very careful about how we dabble with his structures and teaching.
Though Jesus was quite revolutionary in his attitude to women, and certainly did not conform to the traditions of the age, he nevertheless chose only male apostles.
Male apostles and bishops has been the consistent tradition of the Church for 2,000 years.
Some claim this is simply because it was inconceivable socially.
This is untrue as some heretical groups broke that tradition.
To consecrate women bishops is to break with the past and begs the question: 'Is there anything objectively true about the faith?'
The Church of England has already been seriously divided over women priests.
This innovation has damaged relationships with the two Churches that structurally claim to be descended from the Apostles - the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
To ordain women bishops would further divide the Church of England and increase the divisions between the churches.
A bishop is meant to be a focus of unity and a teacher of the faith.
How can women bishops be a focus for unity when many reject them?
More than that, how can they be teachers and guardians of the faith when to many they are a sign that the historic faith has been rejected?
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Sotto Voce
(Source: BBC)