Article 8 of the Constitution of the General Synod provides that
certain kinds of legislation may not receive the final approval of
the General Synod unless they have first been approved by the
majority of Church of England diocesan synods.
Useful documents for diocesan synods are listed on this
page. Current references to dioceses are:
Women bishops reference to dioceses
The Article 8 process regarding women bishops is outlined and
explained in a note from the Business Committee of the General
Synod GS
Misc 964.
The Business Committee has also circulated four other documents:
a background note on the history of the legislative proposals A8(WE)BACKGROUND; the draft Bishops and Priests
(Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure A8(WE)M; the
draft amending Canon 30 A8(WE)AC; and an explanatory memorandum
relating to the draft measure and amending Canon A8(WE)X.
Further
information on women bishops
Anglican Covenant reference to dioceses
The Article 8 process regarding the adoption of the Anglican
Communion Covenant is set out and explained in a note from the
Business Committee of the General Synod (GS Misc 971), and the
transcript of the General Synod
debate on the Covenant in November 2010 is available.
The Business Committee has also circulated two other related
documents: the text of the draft Act of Synod adopting the Anglican
Communion Covenant (GS
1809) and a background paper from the Faith and Order
Commission prepared for General Synod in November 2010 (GS Misc 966). The
background paper includes material about the history of the
Covenant, provides some answers to frequently asked questions and
also gives the full text of the Covenant itself.