Women priests in the Church of England say they would rather never be bishops at all than have to accept special arrangements for opponents of women’s ordination.

Nearly half of all the serving women priests in the Church of England have signed an open letter to the Church’s bishops warning that the entire integrity and mission of the Church is at stake.

The women say they support those in the Church in Wales who a few weeks ago defeated a proposal to ordain women bishops because it included protections to safeguard opponents.

A recent report by a group chaired by the Bishop of Manchester, the Right Rev Nigel McCulloch, outlined a number of options for the General Synod to consider at its meeting in York this July, including the creation of separate dioceses for traditionalists which would transcend historic geographical boundaries.

Instead of legislation that would provide safe havens for traditionalists, the women say they want the Church to proceed straight away with a simple measure to consecrate women to the episcopate.

Senior clergy who have signed the letter include Canon Lucy Winkett, precentor at St Paul’s and Canon Jane Hedges, steward at Westminster Abbey. Both are women likely to be considered for the episcopate once it becomes possible to consecrate them.

More than 700 women priests have signed it, indicating they are backing the stance.

Canon Winkett told The Times: “We are saying that to consecrate women bishops is right, both in principle and in its timing. We believe now is the time to do it. But the way that it happens is important.

“The Church at large misjudges women if it really believes that we would support the consecration of women bishops at any price. We would regret very much a delay, but regretfully we would rather wait than see discriminatory legislation passed.”

When women were ordained to the priesthood over a decade ago, the Church of England passed an Act of Synod which created “flying bishops” to care for traditionalist parishes. Under that legislation, which will be repealed when women are ordained bishops, parishes can still opt to be cared for by a bishop other than their own diocesan, and to make their churches into “no-go areas” for women priests.

The women priests are anxious to ensure that no legislation is passed that offers even more safeguards than the Act of Synod.

In their letter they say: “We believe that it should be possible for women to be consecrated as bishops, but not at any price.

“The price of legal ‘safeguards’ for those opposed is simply too high, diminishing not just the women concerned, but the catholicity, integrity and mission of the episcopate and of the Church as a whole.

“We cannot countenance any proposal that would, once again, enshrine and formalise discrimination against women in legislation. With great regret, we would be prepared to wait longer, rather than see further damage done to the Church of England by passing discriminatory laws.”

They continue: “We long to see the consecration of women bishops in the Church of England, and believe it is right both in principle and in timing. But because we love the Church, we are not willing to assent to a further fracture in our communion and threat to our unity. If it is to be episcopacy for women qualified by legal arrangements to ‘protect’ others from our oversight, then our answer, respectfully, is thank you, but no.”