Bishop hounded out

SIR – It is extremely sad that such a clearly competent individual as the Rt Rev Philip North has been forced to pull out of taking up his role as Bishop of Sheffield (report, March 10).

That bullying tactics have been employed by individuals and groups in the liberal wing of the Church, while disheartening, is perhaps not altogether unexpected. The precedent for these tactics (which succeeded) dates from the withdrawal of Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading in 2003, when the church hierarchy surrendered to the prejudice and threats of conservative evangelicals in the Oxford diocese.

The same tactics have been employed to prevent Bishop North from becoming, first, Bishop of Whitby and, now, Bishop of Sheffield. In this case the individual was harangued until he capitulated; an even more unpleasant scenario.

Aside from the unChristian nature of these tactics, it is worrying that people think that the suitability of Philip North for the see of Sheffield should be decided on his not supporting the ordination of women.

This seems to be a dangerous ecclesiastical form of “no platforming” which seeks to put one view on a particular issue above all the muchneeded skills, talents, spirituality and experience which Bishop North would have brought to the Church’s mission in Sheffield.

The conduct that led to his withdrawing his nomination brings shame on the liberal wing of the Church. It also calls into question the agreed protocols for allowing those on both sides of the debate on the ordination of women to flourish.

Sheffield is deprived of a spirit-filled and mission-focused priest. The only integrity in all of this belongs to Philip North. Rev Helen O’Sullivan Rev Jonathan Herapath London EC4