Dr John was forced to withdraw his acceptance for the post of suffragan Bishop of Reading last year.

Canon Stephen Lake, sub-dean and acting dean at St Albans, said: "Jeffrey John brings to the abbey a track record of scholarship and preaching, and a commitment to mission.

Show of support

"The support for Jeffrey John from the cathedral chapter and congregation is clear.

A confederation, modelled along similar lines to the Geneva-based World Lutheran Federation, would loosen the ties between the national provinces in the Church, to the extent that they would be free to adopt almost any practice or doctrine they wished.

The churches at the conservative and liberal ends of the spectrum would still describe themselves as "Anglican" and remain in communion with the mother Church of England through the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“Secretive in its planning, their action was discourteous, disruptive and a willful violation of our Constitution and Canons,” the statement continued. The Bishops also emphasized that further “infractions” would result in unspecified “consequences.” “At the same time, we hold these five bishops, and one another, accountable for the good order of the Church, the Body of Christ,” the statement said.

The "March for Women's Lives" was co-sponsored by the Religious
Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), an alliance of national
organizations from major faith groups, local affiliates, the national
Clergy for Choice Network, Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom, and
the Black Church Initiative. According to its mission statement, RCRC
supports the constitutional right to abortion and solutions to problems