The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has challenged an American woman bishop to produce evidence to back up her claim that bishops beat their wives.

Other bishops also criticised the US Episcopal Church's Bishop Catherine Roskam after she said at the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury that men beat women "because they can".

She said: "We have 700 men here. Do you think any of them beat their wives? Chances are they do. The most devout Christians beat their wives... many of our bishops come from places where it is culturally accepted to beat your wife."

About 670 bishops, nearly all men, are at the Lambeth Confernce in Canterbury, Kent. A further 230, mainly from Africa, have boycotted it because of the liberal direction of the Western church on homosexuality and other issues.

Bishop Roskam's comments are published in the latest edition of The Lambeth Witness, a daily newsletter produced by the Inclusive Church Network, a liberal lobby group working for the full inclusion of gays in Church life.

Bishop Roskam, a suffragan in New York, was speaking as bishops and their wives spent the day discussing violence against women. She said: "Economic downturn increases violence toward women, but you also find violence against women in the richest of households. You can't say it's only the poor who do it."

Her remarks provoked dismay and astonishment among bishops at the conference.

The Archbishop of York said: "I have never beaten my wife, although I can't talk about other people." He warned against a danger of "stereotyping" people because of the culture they come from. He said that Bishop Roskam should not throw out "aunt Sallies" which become divisive. "I hope Bishop Catherine has got statistics and figures, because if not she is in danger of causing an unnecessary rumpus. I find guilt by association very difficult." He said there was an assumption that because a person was a man, they must therefore be guilty of beating their wife. "You have to be extremely careful. People should stop putting labels on members of our family without evidence."

Bishop Nathaniel Nakwatumbah of Namibia said: "I do not beat my wife. That is ridiculous. There are such great people gathering here in ecclesial spirit. It is inconceivable that a bishop would beat his wife."

Bishop Zache Duracin of Haiti said: "I do not know any bishops who beat their wives. But she may be aware of some."

Bishop David James, of Bradford, said: "I do not beat my wife who I love very much and who is a tremendous support to me. Of the bishops I have met from around the world, which is quite a number, I have no reason to suspect that any of them do. Of course with 800 bishops you cannot be sure, and nor do I know if any of the wives beat their husbands. A lot of bishops could not do the job we do without the really sacrificial support of our wives."