The long road towards accepting women bishops in the Church of England became an inch shorter on 11 February as the Church of England's General Synod passed a tentative enabling motion.

The General Synod of the Church of England has voted overwhelmingly to back a motion calling for a prohibition on clergy and senior staff being members of the far-right British National Party.

The General Synod of Church of England meets in Westminster this week, tackling issues that include the international financial crisis, women bishops, the Anglican Covenant, human trafficking, asylum, and the Church’s approach to the BNP.

Three Anglican bishops have joined public figures in a call for the European Union to refuse further privileges to Israel while it remains in breach of international law and acting brutally in Gaza.

The Church of England is publishing draft legislation that could allow the ordination of women bishops in around five years time, opening up episcopal ministry to all for the first time.

Five leading Church of England bishops have criticised the government's social policy, suggesting that Labour policy has led to the neglect of the most vulnerable.

In the 'United Kingdom' it is our political inheritance which is defining how we see God and the place of the church, rather than a vision of the kingdom of God which is shaping our politics, says Tom Hurcombe. The vision of Jesus and monarchical assumptions are fundamentally antagonistic.

Calls for proper debate about the disestablishment of the Church of England were renewed this week with a call for the severing of the Church-crown link by economist, Blair loyalist and leading Labour peer Lord Desai.

A member of the Church of England's general synod who supports a greater role for women in the church says that in 10 years half of all full-time clergy will be women, but moves to consecrate female bishops is not keeping pace.

The Church of England faced further gloom over its investments this morning, as a major hedge fund it has invested in was rocked by a late September slump.