The General Synod of the Church of England today enters the fourth day. Gathering at the University of York, some 500 bishop, clergy and representatives from each province will vote on the consecration of women bishops in the Church of England, which is a critical issue that has split the Church.

Some 800 conservatives, including a number of bishops, have threatened to leave the Church and convert to the Roman Catholic Church if the Synod passes a green light to women bishops, according to Sunday Times. This will be a great hazard to the ministry of the Church amid a declining priesthood in the recent years.

The debate on the consecration of women bishops has been provoked since the Church of England ordained the first women priest in 1994. Women’s rights activities and liberals in the Church have spearheaded the proposals of women bishops, as they argue that it is illogical and unfair to prohibit women priest to take up the higher position of leadership as bishops.

Opponents of the proposal, who are mostly conservative, are concerned about the theological background and the Catholic tradition of a male-centred leadership.

A major document called the Rochester Report published in November 2004, laid out a number of options to resolve the current rift between the conservatives and liberals. One of the revolutionary options suggested the creation of a "Third Province", a parallel Church with male-only clergy led by its own Archbishop and bishops, for those who refuse to work under a female counterpart.

It is expected that the "mass exodus" of conservatives may result if the Synod declines this option.

About nine of the Church's diocesan bishops, including the Bishops of London, Winchester and Durham, are thought to harbour strong doubts about women bishops, according to the Telegraph newspaper.

The Bishop of Ebbsfleet, Andrew Burnham, looks after parishes who have rejected women priests. He told the Sunday Times, "A woman bishop wouldn't be a bishop because a bishop is someone whose ministry is acceptable through the ages to all other bishops."

"A Church of England with women bishops would no longer have a united episcopate." He added that he will resign and convert to the Roman Catholic Church if the Church allows women bishops.

In an historic vote today, the Synod will decide whether the Church should begin the process of "removing the legal obstacles for the ordination of women to the episcopate". If the Synod agrees, a House of Bishops' working party will start drawing up proposals to allow the reform to be implemented with the least damage to the Church, according to Telegraph.