St Matthew and St Luke’s had invited members of the Muslim community for an event next month to mark Ramadan.
It also offered different rooms to allow segregated worship for men and women.
Following criticism from other church the leaders, the Diocese of Durham has now intervened and told the church it must not hold Islamic prayers in the church building.
Rt Rev Dr Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to the Queen, is one of many to speak out.
Speaking to Premier, the Anglican Bishop of the Christian Episcopal Church in the UK said: “Clearly the motivation behind the event is very good. Anything that tries to get people together to understand each other and be good neighbors, is laudable and to be appreciated but it has to be done from a position of integrity.
Bishop Gavin has welcomed the intervention by the diocese but says he hopes lessons are learnt.
“They realise that the vicar made a silly mistake, but I’m glad it happened because it was raises in the public eye some important issues which people need to work through,” he said. “Islam and Christianity are not Abrahamic cousins in Middle Eastern religion. They’re actually antithetic to each other.”
It’s understood the event will go ahead, but prayers will be said elsewhere.
Premier has contacted St Matthew and St Luke’s and is waiting for a response.
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