Senior Anglicans have been forced to apologise for one bishop's inflammatory comments at an inter-faith gathering.

Bishop John Gray shocked visiting Jews in Christchurch last month when he told them the Holocaust "should have taught you a lesson".

Gray, who heads the Maori Anglican Diocese in the city, introduced himself as one of the "biggest stirrers in the Anglican Church" at the session, called "Hard Talk".

He later attacked Muslim speakers, asking what they were doing about the "slaughter of innocent people" by Muslims "under the banner of Isis and al Qaeda".

Gray also asked them why their religion did not recognise the Trinity of God, even though one of Islam's main teachings is that there is only one god.

Archbishops Brown Turei, Philip Richardson and Winston Halapua apologised yesterday "for the hurt that has been caused" by the comments.

"We, as leaders, do not share or support the views that Bishop John has expressed, and his comments do not represent the Anglican Church's view on these matters."

Gray, however, declined to comment.

Dave Moskovitz, from the NZ Council of Christians and Jews, said Gray's "highly offensive" comments were shocking.

"The video record of the meeting reminds me more of a medieval disputation with Gray as inquisitor than a modern interfaith gathering."

However, he welcomed the apology from Anglican leaders and their distancing of the church from Gray's views.

Moskovitz said the comments were at odds with his experience of Anglicans over the years.

Chairman of the Otago Muslim Association Steve Johnston also welcomed the apology.

He said an inter-faith, educational gathering was not the forum to attack Muslims, who were already under pressure.

"We share the anxiety and other feelings that people are experiencing about violence being carried out under the banner of Islam," he said.