Charles and Camilla wedding splits church

A split has emerged in the Church of England over the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

Members of the Church's governing body, the General Synod, warned that the wedding would have "grave consequences" for Church and state.

But church leaders turned down calls for an emergency debate which would have exposed the divisions.

Opposition to the royal wedding centres on evangelical clerics who say the Church should not condone the marriage of a divorced man to his former mistress.

Constitutional experts have warned it would be unlawful under the Royal Marriages Act for Charles to be married in a civil ceremony. On inheriting the throne, he would become Defender of the Faith and governor of the established Church.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has agreed to bless the couple after their civil ceremony on 8 April.

Dr Williams opened a Synod session in London last night by praying that the couple should receive "God's guidance and help".

And there was applause for the Rev David Houlding, who appealed to colleagues to show "the Prince of Wales and the new Duchess of Cornwall our total and loyal support".

But Synod member Allan Jones of Liverpool said of the marriage: "It has grave consequences for the future of the Church, it has grave consequences for the future of the nation."

And he warned: "There's a grave question over the wedding ceremony that's being proposed.

"The people out there are looking for us to be saying something either way - to say no, it's wrong, or yes, we want to congratulate the couple.

But we are doing neither." Another Synod member, Philip Gore of Manchester, said: "I believe that the issue now is of religious and public interest."

Opposition to the royal wedding is strongest among evangelical clerics and those with concerns over the constitutional implications.

The Rev David Phillips, director of the conservative evangelical Church Society, said of Prince Charles: "I don't believe he should be remarrying and if he's determined to go ahead, he shouldn't be in a position where he can become Supreme Governor of the Church of England."

Rejecting calls for a debate on the marriage, Synod business committee chairman the Rev Dr Richard Turnbull said such a debate would be "of interest to the public but of doubtful public interest".

The four-day Synod meeting was also debating the ordination of women bishops and a report urging Anglican leaders in the US to apologise for the hurt they caused when they ordained the first gay bishop.

Today Synod members were debating moves to end the traditional "job for life" enjoyed by vicars. Proposed changes to the Church's Terms of Service could allow the sacking of lazy or incompetent clergy.

Bishops could also be removed from the posts under measures unveiled during the Sessions at Church House in Westminster. The moves are opposed by Amicus, the trade union which represents vicars.