ONE of the Church of England's most senior figures has warned that the Church is in danger of "imploding" over controversial issues.

The Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, said infighting over issues such as the ordination of homosexual clergy and female bishops was putting people off the Church.

In an interview with a national Sunday newspaper, Dr Hope, the second most senior cleric in the Church of England, said the Church's fundamental Christian message was in danger of being lost.

Dr Hope said: "At the end of the day, what is the business of the Church? It is about bringing people to Jesus Christ and about living the life of Jesus Christ.

"Whatever the divisions, those are the key issues. The infighting puts off both young and old people. If it the Church of England does not see this in a much larger context of the whole Christian doctrine of creation, redemption and sanctification, it will allow itself to implode on these two issues. We need to turn ourselves outward."

Dr Hope, who was heckled by gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell in 1995 when he was Bishop of London, says his sexuality is a "grey area" and declines to comment further on the subject. However, he said an active homosexual relationship was unacceptable within the Christian tradition.

Dr Hope also criticised the Government over the war in Iraq, saying he felt misled over issues such as weapons of mass destruction.

He also felt the Government was intervening too heavily in people's lives, with legislation such as the anti-smoking Bill.

Despite being heckled by 20 protestors from the Fathers 4 Justice campaign during a sermon in York Minster last July, the bishop said he was sympathetic to their cause, although he said it was "sometimes prosecuted in a way that was somewhat extreme".

Dr Hope was reflecting over his ten years as Archbishop of York. Next year, he is retiring from the post and taking up a position as a parish priest at St Margaret's Church, in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

The move will mean a cut in his £54,770-a-year salary and a move from the 17th Century Bishopthorpe palace.

He said in the interview that one of the lowest points of his time in office was during the debate about the ordination of women and vicious letters he received at the time.

He said: "I really felt there was probably more Christianity on a market stall than in the Church. But I've got Yorkshire grit. I haven't ever lost a night's sleep.