The Dean of Exeter has apologised for posts on social media where he said he apologised for the role of Christians in Brexit.
After the former Conservative Party chairman Baroness Warsi tweeted a poll of Remain voters by faith, showing Christians at just 42 per cent, Jews at 46 per cent, Muslims at 70 per cent and Hindus at 70 per cent, Dr Jonathan Draper tweeted that he felt "embarrassed".
Remain voters by faith
Christian 42% voted to remain
Jewish 46% voted to remain
Muslim 70% voted to remain
Hindu 70% voted to remain
In response to another tweet by Baroness Warsi, he tweeted: "As a nearly old person I apologise for what we have done to our children and grandchildren."
Referendum voting by age pic.twitter.com/YnW8UpKka9
— Sayeeda Warsi (@SayeedaWarsi) June 24, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">Draper then tweeted: "Apologised to my children for what the old have done to the young. Truly awful, truly catastrophic #WhatHaveWeDone"
Although many of his tweets appeared today to have been deleted, Exeter Express and Echo reports that he subsequently apologised again after he posted a photograph and wrote: "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."
This was followed by: "I tweeted this and should not have done and apologise for any offence caused. It was a weak moment..."
However, he did continue to comment on Brexit and one of his latest retweets was critical of Boris Johnson:
"At home and abroad the negative consequences are being wildly overdone" @BorisJohnson
I wish they were" data-caption="null" data-credit="null">
Christian Today has reached out to the Dean for a comment and is awaiting a response.
Meanwhile, Bishop of Exeter Robert Atwell put out his own pastoral message in response to the vote.
He said: "We are at a real tipping point in the life of our nation. Not only in terms of our place in Europe, but in terms of what we want our country to be. Whether we are elated or depressed at the result of the referendum, we need now to unite and to move forward. But we do so against a background of a divided nation. The referendum has exposed the extent to which large numbers of ordinary people feel that their concerns have been ignored."
He urged people to resist being controlled by fear. "When we are threatened, we instinctively put up the barricades and run for cover. But this is the moment to reach out hands of friendship and seek reconciliation. We need to be listening, including to those who have felt marginalised during this whole debate."
He added: "As a Christian, I pray urgently for God to guide our elected leaders in this time of national uncertainty. We urgently need them to come together with a vision that will unite us as a nation."
