WOMEN bishops and euthanasia will be among the controversial issues to be debated by the General Synod in York when it opens on Friday.

The new Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, is also expected to receive a standing ovation by Synod members to mark his appointment.

Fierce discussion is predicted at the five-day gathering in the University of York, as opinion is so divided over some critical issues among the Church of England clergy and lay members.

Synod members will decide on Monday whether to embark on the legislative process to permit women to be ordained as bishops, and on final approval for the new ordination services.

The church's first female priests were ordained in 1994, and supporters of women bishops believe it is illogical to continue to bar them from the episcopate. Opponents say there is no Biblical precedent for women bishops, as Christ's apostles were all male, and that it is wrong for women to have authority over men in a religious capacity.

The controversial issue of assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia will also be debated by the Synod on Saturday, as part of a focus on the Church engaging with the wider community.

The discussion follows a House of Lords Select Committee report on the Private Member's Bill introduced by Lord Joffe, which sought to enable a person in certain circumstances to request and receive medical assistance to die.

In September 2004, the House of Bishops and the Roman Catholic Bishops Conference issued a statement describing the proposed Bill as misguided.

A Church of England spokesman said: "In bringing this debate to Synod, the Mission and Public Affairs Council seeks to raise awareness of the issue and to endorse the joint statement as a basis for engagement in the public debate."

The subject of churches in multi-faith neighbourhoods will also be debated by Synod members, along with a number of financial issues.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will address the Synod, which will close on Tuesday.

Updated: 10:01 Thursday, July 07, 2005