Dr Jeffrey John told The Times that they would be together for the rest of their lives and that he had no intention of standing down. He insisted the relationship was platonic but his comments still prompted immediate calls for his resignation.

Conservative evangelicals said that, if he refused to go, the Church would split.

In an interview with The Times, Dr John said that he had not ended his 27-year relationship. “It is perfectly clear that the relationship is going to last,” he said. “It is a permanent thing. The relationship has not been sexually expressed for years. The love and commitment are, if anything, greater.”

He said that he supported rites of blessings for same-sex couples, although he and his partner had never had one because he believed in upholding the disciplines of the Church. However, he pledged that in his position as a suffragan bishop in the Oxford Diocese, he would argue for them.

He also criticised the 1991 statement Issues in Human Sexuality which demands celibacy from gay clergy but permits the laity to have sexually active gay relationships. “As a bishop I will have to abide by that. It is a matter of corporate discipline. But I think the current discipline cannot hold for long.”

Dr John said that the love between two people reflected God’s love for humanity. “I believe the mystery of covenanted love actually can work for two people of the same sex just as much as it can work for a married couple. Love between persons who are individual and yet given completely to the other is a mystery that reflects God’s own nature.”

His remarks came the day after nine diocesan bishops wrote an open letter protesting about his appointment. Dr John, an ardent advocate of church unity who is deeply distressed at the thought that he might inadvertently be the cause of rupture, has considered standing down.

But his supporters, who include the Bishop of Oxford, the Right Rev Richard Harries, have persuaded him to stay. He said he would not stand down. “In a sense, I think it is not my decision. I have become a symbol of hope for an awful lot of people.”

Many of his critics opposed the selection of Dr Rowan Williams as the Archbishop of Canterbury. Dr Williams and Dr John, both from South Wales, have been friends for years and together founded the influential liberal movement Affirming Catholicism.

Both are concerned to sustain church unity but are not prepared to sacrifice their own integrity in the face of demands from extremists.

Dr John, canon theologian at Southwark Cathedral, yesterday won support from the Dean of Southwark, the Very Rev Colin Slee, who accused the nine bishops who issued their protest letter, of homophobia.

The nine, who included the Church’s fifth most senior, the Bishop of Winchester, the Right Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, expressed concern for Church unity over the appointment The bishops said: “Sexual intercourse, within the lifelong relationship of marriage, is the sign and beautiful expression of that union. Intercourse outside marriage undermines the power of that sign. Any departure from such fundamental teaching must be viewed with grave concern.”

But the Dean of Southwark said last night: “I am astonished that any bishop should feel fit to seek to coerce anyone by such public demonstration. I am disappointed that they should set such a poor example by the pusillanimous utilisation of an open letter.” Dr John did not receive a copy of the letter before it was sent to newspapers, he said.

The dean accused the bishops of cowardice, saying: “It compares most unfavourably with Jeffrey’s own openness, honesty and willingness to engage in conversations with anyone. I have long realised that there are bishops who are not theologians and for whom biblical scholarship is not an immediate skill. I seriously doubt that some of the signatories have ever bothered to read Jeffrey’s published work. I have also long realised that there are bishops who are deeply, psychologically homophobic.”

However, the evangelicals were strengthened in their opposition. The Rev Rod Thomas, of Reform, the conservative group, said: “I am glad Jeffrey John is being honest about his views. The most divisive issue in his appointment is the fact that he was in an actively gay relationship with his partner in the past and it is not at all clear that he has ever repented of that.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Sarah Brown says 'no thanks' to veal at G8 - twice
• Stockton-on-Tees is obesity capital of Britain
• Stores blame poor sales on Murray factor