The Church of England has released the following statement by the Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Revd Philip North, on his decision to withdraw his acceptance of nomination to the See of Sheffield:

“It is with regret and sadness that I have decided that I am unable to take up the nomination as Bishop of Sheffield.

The news of my nomination has elicited a strong reaction within the diocese and some areas of the wider Church. It is clear that the level of feeling is such that my arrival would be counter-productive in terms of the mission of the Church in South Yorkshire and that my leadership would not be acceptable to many. Continue reading →