After a church in southwest England decided not to allow yoga classes to be held in its church hall, a leader from the Anglican Church has stepped up to clarify the Christian position on the subject.

Archbishop Mark Butchers of Barnstaple addressed why a request from a yoga instructor to teach a yoga class at a church in Devon was denied, reports Premier.

Butchers oversees churches in North Devon. He says parishes under the Church of England always try to welcome community groups of all types. Each parish, however, is allowed to set out their own policies and conditions, and ultimately decide who can and cannot rent their church hall.

With this in mind, it is up to the individual church to decide on each renting situation.

"Many parishes are entirely open to hosting yoga exercise classes, emphasizing the health benefits for both individuals and communities which yoga offers," says Butchers.

He explained that the practice of yoga can imply spiritual connotation which is at odds with the Christian faith, as the practice is rooted in Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.

This is a reason some churches have decided not to allow the practice of yoga in their buildings, though Butchers notes that other fitness classes, such as Pilates, would be allowed.

Butchers says ultimately a range of views exist on the subject among Christians, but that every church wants to serve their community "with joy according to the values and beliefs of our Christian faith."

The discussion about the allowance of yoga practice within the church was sparked after Pilton Church recently did not allow yoga teacher Astuko Kato to teach a yoga class in the church hall. Kato was informed by Rev Nigel Dilkes that yoga is "not compatible with Christian beliefs."

Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, asked Dilkes to reconsider the issue, saying the ban was not allowing for "valuable opportunities" that yoga can provide.

Rev Deborah Parsons, Interfaith Dvisor for the Diocese of Exeter, says Christians and the Church are "invited to be curious, to listen to difference and to re-imagine how to be Love’s Presence in every community.

"Through respectful listening, we can come to a deeper understanding of each other," she says.