Bishop nearly quit in gay row

The row over the gay clergyman who was turned down as Bishop of Reading reopened today, as he accused the Archbishop of Canterbury of having "feet of clay".

In a sermon at Southwark Cathedral - the first time he has referred publicly to the affair - Dr Jeffrey John said: "In the Church all of us, including the most eminent, and maybe especiallythe most eminent, have feet of clay. At the moment many of us are disillusioned with the Church and the leadership of the Church."

And the Bishop of Oxford, the Right Rev Richard Harries, claimed that the Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, twice endorsed his nomination of Dr John but then backed down after realising the strength of opposition. Bishop Harries said he almost resigned over the affair.

The Church is still split over the appointment of Dr John, a non-practising homosexual, but senior figures had hoped anger was subsiding. Bishop Harries has now put Dr Williams under pressure to explain why he changed his mind.