The Bishop of Oxford has said he has been sent death threats after backing plans for a Muslim call to prayer in the city. In January the Rt Rev John Pritchard, who also studied at Oxford University, backed the Muslim loudspeaker call, Adhan, which would take place every Friday in Oxford.
But he said the "dark underbelly of British society" made a number of threats against his life.
He told the Daily Telegraph: "I received extraordinary mail. One said, 'resign' six times in a large font. One called for me to be beheaded and another said: 'I wish I lived closer so I could spit on you.' The dark underbelly of British society was coming out."
The Telegraph claims that a spokesman for the representatives from Oxford's Central Mosque has repeatedly stated their wish to be able to play the muezzin's (caller's) traditional message to the Muslim faithful from speakers on a minaret.
But the Anglo-Asian Association for Friendship in East Oxford told Ekklesia that "this is the total opposite of what the two authorised representatives of the Central Mosque said at the meeting [to discuss the issue]".
A letter sent by the Association to the newspaper, correcting the claim, has been received but not published so far.
Dozens of residents near the mosque, in Manzil Way, have urged the council to reject the plan, claiming it will turn the area into a "Muslim ghetto".
"I believe we have good relationships with the Muslim community here in Oxford and I am personally very happy for the mosque to call the faithful to prayer," the bishop had said in an interview with the local Oxford Mail.
"Faith is a very important factor in the lives of 80 per cent of the world's population and a public expression of that faith is both natural and reasonable," Pritchard commented.
"I would say to anyone who has concerns about the call to prayer to relax and enjoy our community diversity and be as respectful to others as you would hope they would be respectful to you," he added.
There are concerns that selective media coverage of the threats against the bishop will be used to whip up unnecessary anti-Muslim feeling.
A local resident deeply involved in the issue told Ekklesia of his dismay at the "dangerous misunderstandings and mishandlings that this episode has caused here in Oxford."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce