The Archbishop of Canterbury suffered a humiliating blow yesterday after his efforts to force through a last ditch compromise on women bishops was rejected.
Dr Rowan Williams risked his moral authority by attempting to persuade the Church of England’s ‘ Parliament’ to accept proposals aimed at preventing thousands of opponents of women bishops quitting the Church.
Under the proposals, woman bishops would have retained their authority in principle, but in practice would allow traditionalists to serve under acceptable male bishops.
But after a tense debate in York, the compromise package he introduced jointly with the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu was narrowly voted down.