Twenty-three Church of England bishops have been fiercely criticised this week for not attending a crucial House of Lords vote on controversial new gay rights regulations, which faith groups across the country have strongly opposed.

|PIC1|In total 26 bishops automatically sit in on the House of Lords - a privilege which has come under media scrutiny over the past months - yet just three attended the vote. Christians across Britain have been left outraged by the meagre turn-out.

Anthony Archer, a Synod member of the Crown Nominations Committee had written to all 26 bishops encouraging them to vote against the Regulations (SORs), according to The Church of England Newspaper. He reported that the 23 bishops had not helped justify their purpose for sitting in the House of Lords.

"The bishops have to play their part and argue their case. Turning up to the debate would have helped," the letter read.

The second-most senior member of the Church of England, Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, is unlikely to be impressed with his bishops, after he aggressively fought against the new regulations - fearing they could lead to discrimination against those who hold traditional views on homosexuality and marriage.

In an address against the new regulations, Dr Setamu explained that under the Government people of faith were quickly becoming a "sub-category" in society.

Quoting William Wilberforce, the slave trade abolitionist, the Archbishop said: "The time is fast approaching when Christianity will be openly disavowed, in language as in fact it is already supposed to have disappeared from the conduct of men: when to believe will be deemed the indication of a feeble mind and contracted understanding."

Andrea Minichiello Williams, Public Policy Officer for the Lawyer's Christian Fellowship, has said: "In a week where the whole country celebrates the 200th anniversary off the Abolition of Slavery, brought about, by and large, through the determined efforts of William Wilberforce, we would do well to remember his driving force and motivation stemmed from his Christian conviction. History will record that...(the)...vote marked the increased secularisation of Britain confining faith to private thought, rather than public service."

"The consequences and implications of the SORs will unfold month by month. The result of the vote will mean that rather than balancing rights, the right to live a homosexual lifestyle will trump the right to live a Christian lifestyle."