Bishop agrees to stay

Bishop Browning resigned in September after the General Synod Special Tribunal "admonished" him publicly for a single act of adultery committed 15 years ago. The incident, involving a woman parishioner, occurred when Bishop Browning was a parish priest in the diocese of Newcastle in New South Wales.

At a special meeting of synod members on 4 December, the vote for the return of Bishop Browning was carried by an 86-per-cent majority in the House of Laity, and by 80 per cent in the Clergy. The motion, passed by 80 of the 101 clergy present, and 149 of the 176 lay members, recognised that Bishop Browning had been involved in a "lapse of appropriate professional standards", involving suffering for the woman concerned.

However, it said, he had done all that was required to deal with "temporal consequences of his sin". The Church was compelled by the gospel to be "the place where forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation and healing" were made manifest.

The synod meeting was held because of widespread anger in the diocese over the handling of the charge against the Bishop, and support for him and his wife. Petitions urging him to withdraw his resignation were strongly supported in the parishes of the diocese.

The Assistant Bishop of the diocese, the Rt Revd Richard Randerson, who chaired the special synod meeting, said he hoped the decision would conclude "what has been a painful episode for all".

Announcing his decision to withdraw his resignation in Canberra on Tuesday, Bishop Browning said he had been humbled by his synod's strong support.