LONDON (Reuters) – Conservative evangelicals opposed to women bishops in the Church of England have formed a new society, warning liberals that a failure to back their alternative plans could derail the Church's divisive proposals.

The religious society, as yet unnamed but likely to be called the Society of St. Augustine, plans to propose a new model which would allow those who object to the consecration of women as bishops stay within the Church and to work under a panel of male bishops.

Members of the evangelical group Reform, which decided to form the new society at its annual conference on Wednesday, said its proposal could avoid the current draft legislation being voted out, a move which would delay women bishops for years.

It argued conservatives and traditionalists had secured enough support in the Church of England's newly elected General Synod, or parliament, to defeat the draft legislation which currently favours equal status to male and female bishops.

"There is now a real incentive to find a way of making appropriate provision, otherwise the whole legislation could fail," said Reform Chairman Rod Thomas.

"A religious society with a clear statutory role has not been fully considered, and could provide a way through."

Same-sex marriages and the ordination of women and homosexuals as bishops are the most divisive issues facing the Anglican Communion, which has 77 million members worldwide.

Other opponents, such as traditionalists, who formed the Mission Society of St. Wilfrid and St. Hilda last month, have vowed to stay within the Church and fight the draft legislation.

Rowan Williams (pictured), the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the CoE, the Anglican mother church, was reported as saying in the Hindu newspaper this week during a trip to India that "quite a lot work" needed to be done to accommodate those unhappy with the ordination of women as bishops and the majority who support it.

The CoE has voted in principle for women to be consecrated as bishops, but the exact format is still under discussion. Papers have gone out to the Church's dioceses for consideration, with a further vote in the Synod expected in 18 months' time.

The draft legislation must secure a two-thirds majority in each of the Synod's three houses — laity, clergy and bishops — before it can go before parliament.

Reform said a blocking minority already exists in the house of laity and it is just one short in the house of clergy. The house of bishops is likely to vote in favour of women bishops.

The pro-ordination group Watch said Reform was premature in its calculations, and that it was important to "stand firm, stay calm and just get on with the debate" already under discussion.