Despite concerns about the behaviour of the Church many Conservatives are still opposed to the divorce of Church and state, a political view point known as antidisestablishmentarianism (also one of the English language’s longest words). Only 22 percent of Conservatives support a separation, whilst 72 percent support the link.

Their intervention follows the civil wedding this month of Canon Jeremy Pemberton, a hospital chaplain, and his partner Laurence Cunnington under new laws pushed through by David Cameron.

Mr Pemberton, from Southwell, Nottinghamshire, is facing disciplinary action from the Bishop of Lincoln Christopher Lowson for disobeying the House of Bishops’ ruling that gay clergy should not marry because marriage should only be between a man and a women.

He told The Telegraph: “I do think that there has been a rise of an assertiveness of religious groups across the spectrum. That is why those with softer religious views find it disturbing and say they don’t want anything to do with it.”

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The new Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Paul Butler, highlighted the demand for food banks in a sermon on the theme of fear.

Meanwhile the Bishop of Truro, Rt Rev Tim Thornton, criticised Government cuts directly, saying they were having “sinful consequences”.
It comes after weeks of pressure from clergy from the main denominations over whether growing numbers of people are going hungry despite the economic recovery.