In April, the 62-year-old bishop of Salisbury, Right Reverend Stephen Lake, announced he would temporarily stand down as diocesan bishop while the Church of England carried out an investigation.
The probe centred on ‘an ongoing financial audit’ following ‘allegations of potential financial irregularities in relation to two separate financial funds’ related to the bishop’s office at Salisbury Cathedral.
Lambeth Palace, ruling body for the Church of England, has now suspended the bishop from church ministry while investigations into the allegations of financial irregularities continue.
In a statement, Lambeth Palace said: ‘The two complaints brought against the Bishop of Salisbury, Stephen Lake, under the Clergy Discipline Measure, will now proceed to the next stage and Bishop Stephen has been asked to respond to the allegations.
‘He has been suspended from ministry by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Suspension is a neutral act while the allegations are progressed under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003.
‘The complaints were brought following allegations of financial misconduct and concerns raised with the National Safeguarding Team relating to his conduct.’
The bishop of Sherborne, Karen Gorham, remains acting bishop of Salisbury.