The future of the cathedral is now under threat after plans for a housing development on surplus land that would have raised a £10m endowment were rejected by the council.

The cathedral is losing up to £100,000 a year, with sources saying the relatively modern building, completed in 1961, struggles to attract the donations received by more established churches.

'In the face of false teaching, the Apostle Paul tells Timothy both to keep his distance from it but also to continue in patient teaching,' Bishop Thomas writes. 'He recognises that this may involve suffering.'

The 'floating' bishop, whose position was installed to appease conservatives, offers oversight to those parishes who refuse to recognise female ordination but find themselves under a woman bishop.

Much of the post-war resurgence of Anglican Evangelicalism can be attributed to the leadership given by those formed at and by Iwerne. Against this background, how justified is the broadside against the whole constituency occasioned by the one man's appalling behaviour and launched by Professor Linda Woodhead and Andrew Brown (Comment, 17 February)?

Percy claims there is a "substantial amount of resistance building up" to North's appointment, which he says would "represent the toleration of gender-based sectarianism".

In 2012, North stepped aside from his appointment as bishop of Whitby after protests over his opposition to women in the ministry. He is currently the suffragan bishop of Burnley; Sheffield, a diocesan post, is a promotion.