A Baptist church in South Carolina plans to remove a hand-carved statue of Jesus Christ because some congregants believe it’s too “Catholic” for their place of worship.

The hand-carved, two-metre (7ft) statue and accompanying reliefs depicting scenes from Christ’s life have been displayed outside Red Bank Baptist church in Lexington for a decade. But in a letter to the artist, Pastor Jeff Wright said the art would be removed this week.

“We have discovered that there are people that view the art as Catholic in nature,” Wright wrote in the letter to Delbert Baker Jr. He added that the statue and reliefs brought into question “the theology and core values” of Red Bank Baptist church, but he did not elaborate.

The letter, which a friend of Baker posted online, said Baker had until Thursday to remove the art if he wanted to keep it. If not, it would be destroyed. Workers at the church refused to say if that deadline remained in place.

Bill Leonard, a professor of Baptist studies at Wake Forest University, said the dispute was a symptom of a larger “dysfunction” in the Southern Baptist Convention, which is noted for its low church style of worship and lack of idolatory.

“Almost week to week there’s another incident in which southern Baptists portray themselves ... having convictions that look like bias and prejudice in the larger culture,” Leonard said. “The bias is so deep that they even think they have the wrong Jesus in front of their church.”

In a letter responding to Wright, Baker explained his vision of the art, saying it was meant to show Red Bank Baptist had a focus on Christian outreach.

“This is why Christ is represented as though he is stepping outside of the building, not just confined to the idleness of inner walls,” Baker wrote in the letter. “Under each arm, the reliefs depict scriptural and historical events that we as Christians believe represent the life of Christ.”

The reason given for removing the art made no sense, Baker added, because a large sign in front of the building identified it as a Baptist church. Instead, the explanation made it appear that congregants were disparaging Catholics, Baker wrote. “I was obedient to my Lord in creating it and after much prayer I must respectfully decline to take part in its removal,” Baker wrote.

Baker did not respond to telephone messages from the AP on Wednesday.

The pastor did not return telephone calls or respond to messages left in person with his staff at the church on Wednesday.