London, UK - The Church of England opened its national assembly Monday to discuss draft legislation on allowing the consecration of women as bishops and other church matters.
The General Synod will be addressed Monday by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, a Roman Catholic who is expected to discuss relations between Anglicans and Roman Catholics. It will be his first address to the assembly.
The specifics of the proposal to allow women bishops are to be discussed Wednesday morning. Church officials agreed in principle last year to consecrate women bishops for the first time, but details of how it would work have yet to be finalized.
The problem of human trafficking is to be discussed later Wednesday.
The synod will also discuss whether clergy should be barred from joining the far-right, anti-immigrant British National Party because of the church's commitment to promoting racial equality. Former Metropolitan Police Chief Ian Blair, backs such a ban, will attend the synod to express his support.
The impact and implications of the global economic downtown on the church's ministry is also on the agenda for the weeklong meeting.
The General Synod is the governing, deliberative and legislative body of the Church of England. It includes bishops, clergy and lay members of the church and meets two or three times a year.