The acting Bishop of London has been criticised by senior clergy for describing the High Church tradition as “faffy ceremonial” and suggesting it lacks “deep faith”.

Bishop Pete Broadbent, bishop of Willesden, made the comments in a Facebook discussion beneath a job advertisement that referred to a church in the “modern catholic tradition”. Asked by a priest if he meant “High Church”, the bishop replied: “No … High church is faffy ceremonial without teaching the catholic faith.”

By contrast, “properly catholic” meant “they teach the faith … and inhabit the liturgy”. On Thursday he added: “High Church [as viewed] in London catholic circles tends to mean just the ceremonial without the deep faith and taught and lived experience that catholic Anglicans understand and live.”

The Anglo-Catholic Bishop of Wakefield, Tony Robinson, said the comments were “upsetting” for worshippers in the High Church tradition.

“We all need to respect each other in the Church of England,” said Bishop Robinson, “It’s not right for anyone to disrespect somebody else’s way of worshipping.”