Representatives of six major church bodies have been challenged to reconsider their position in relation to an equalities forum they walked away from earlier this month.

In a speech aimed at calming the warring factions within the C of E and the worldwide Anglican Communion, Rowan Williams apologised to gay people but said that unelected bishops were right to oppose equality legislation.

The argument over Pope Benedict's comments about equalities legislation continued last night, with the government seeking to minimise the impact of his remarks.

The bishops' highly publicised defence of discrimination in the Equality bill damages the image of the church, says Savi Hensman. Their political victory in the House of Lords this week is a moral and spiritual defeat.