Dr Rowan Williams has been voted one of the least effective Archbishops of Canterbury of modern times in a poll of more than 200 of his own clergy.
Dr Williams came fifth out of seven when his colleagues were asked who they thought was the most effective archbishop of the past 60 years, gaining just 21 votes.
Many of those who took part in the survey said that Dr Williams, who became archbishop in 2002, lacked the common touch and had failed to engage the interest of ordinary worshippers. "He needs to express profound thoughts with greater clarity for simpler minds," said one voter. A woman priest said: "His effectiveness still needs to be shown."
The poll, which was conducted by the Telegraph, also asked the clergy for their views on other subjects, including their favourite hymn, the most inspirational saint and the most treasured Biblical passage.
The accolade of most effective archbishop went to Michael Ramsey, who led the Anglican Communion between 1961 and 1974. He was named as the most effective Anglican leader by a third of those who voted. Dr Ramsey, whose historic meeting with Pope Paul VI in 1966 was the first between a pontiff and an archbishop of Canterbury since the Reformation, was praised for his "good humour and absolute holiness". One priest described a meeting with him as being "like an encounter with God".
There was strong support also for Lord Carey, Dr Williams's predecessor as Archbishop of Canterbury, who presided over the divisive issue of the ordination of women during the 1990s and who recently spoke out over the "glaring absence of democracy in Muslim countries".
One vicar said that he had voted for Dr Carey because he was "a leader close to the common man". Lord Carey, who was archbishop from 1991 to 2002, received 20 per cent of the vote, putting him in second place.
The poor showing for Dr Williams may reflect the fact that he is a relative newcomer to the post and also the continuing unease among some clergy about the way he has handled the issue of homosexual ordination.
Dr Williams was more successful in a question on the most inspirational living Christian, finishing second - but ahead of the Pope and Nelson Mandela. However, he received only half the votes of Desmond Tutu, the Nobel prize winning anti-apartheid campaigner, who took 25 per cent of the vote.
The most treasured Biblical passage named by the 205 clergy who participated in the poll was John, Chapter 1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God." The Gospel of St John was the most popular book in the Bible, amassing 53 votes.
Psalm 139 which begins "O Lord, thou has searched me, and known me", was voted the favourite psalm. The leading parable was that of the prodigal son, which won 44 per cent of the vote.
When asked to vote for their favourite hymn, the clergy, perhaps surprisingly, chose a contemporary offering, Here I am Lord - which was written in 1981 by Daniel Schutte - ahead of traditional favourites such as Amazing Grace and Jerusalem.
St Peter, who was described by one voter as "a bad 'un made good" for his denial of Christ and subsequent repentance, was chosen as the favourite saint ahead of St Francis of Assisi and St Paul. The deadliest of the seven sins was pride, which was considered to be the root of most evil.
Perhaps the most surprising results were in the category of the favourite film with a religious theme. Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, which was condemned as anti-Semitic when it was released this year, won the vote - narrowly ahead of The Miracle Maker, the animated story of Christ that was released in 2000. Not everyone was so complimentary about the Gibson film, however, with one voter likening it to "a trip to the butchers".
Only a handful of voters opted for Hollywood blockbusters such as Ben Hur, the majority choosing films that they thought had a deeper moral message. However, the highly irreverent Monty Python film, The Life of Brian, which was banned in some parts of the country when it was first released in 1979, tied in fourth position with Chariots of Fire, a film about Olympic athletes. The Mission came third.
One voter said: "Every Christian should be made to watch The Life of Brian because it is important that we can laugh at ourselves."
Other films chosen included, bizarrely, the Disney cartoon Finding Nemo - described as a "prodigal son for our times" - The Matrix (a science fiction trilogy), and Bruce Almighty, which starred Jim Carey as a man who is given divine powers. Hark The Herald Angels Sing, written by Charles Wesley in 1734 and put to the music of Felix Mendelssohn in 1855, was named favourite carol.
A handful of clergy expressed an unexpected dislike of the most popular carols, which they thought had become something of a cliche. One priest described them "as an occupational hazard".
Durham Cathedral, which was started in 1093 and holds the remains of St Cuthbert, the seventh century Bishop of Lindisfarne, was voted favourite church building in Britain. York Minister, dating from 1220, came second, and Wells, which dates from 1179, came third. Canterbury cathedral polled just nine votes.
Although Dr Williams failed to win a single category, he did receive support from some respondents.
"He combines three things: a brilliant mind, a prayerful life and political wisdom," said one, while another added: "He is clearly a man of deep faith and conviction. He is an outstanding theologian."
A spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury declined to comment on the findings of the poll.