A Florida pastor’s intention to burn copies of the Quran has attracted criticism from both the Bishop of Southeast Florida and an archdeacon who has worked in several Muslim nations.

The Rev. Terry Jones, pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., plans to burn copies of the Quran during a three-hour evening ceremony on Sept. 11.

Both the Rt. Rev. Leopold Frade and the Rev. Canon Julian Dobbs, archdeacon of the Anglican Church in North America, expressed concern about how this protest will affect the rights of Christians living alongside radical Islamists.

“I can only appeal to him to desist from an action that will hurt his Christian brothers and sisters around the world; they are the ones who will suffer the consequences of his fanatical act,” Bishop Frade wrote in a letter he sent to three newspapers in Florida.

“Every page of the Quran that burns will recruit to the ranks of Islamic extremists hundreds of irate Muslims, who will see in this action a confirmation of claims by Al Qaeda and the Taliban that Americans are engaged in our own jihad against the followers of Islam,” the bishop added. “What would Jesus do? I am quite sure that burning the holy scriptures of another faith would never be his choice. Our Lord said from the cross where he died, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.’”

Pastor Jones, appearing Aug. 26 on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, said that he would not be deterred from his plans, even if former President George W. Bush — whom he respects — asked him to refrain from burning the Quran.

“We want to remember those who were murdered and killed on 9/11,” Jones said. “And we also want to send a very clear message to radical Islam. We see it all over the world and Europe. We want to send a clear message that if they are in America, they are free … to worship. But they must honor and respect our Constitution. We want to send a clear message that we do not want Shariah laws and Shariah courts.”

Canon Dobbs addressed Pastor Jones in an open letter posted on the archdeacon’s website.

“Your decision to burn copies of the [Quran] at your church will put the lives of many thousands of Christians in the Islamic world at further risk and will seriously compromise their security and that of their churches, homes, schools and businesses,” Dobbs wrote. “Christians who are minorities in Muslim majority countries are not in a position to exercise the freedom of religion that citizens of the United States enjoy. Your proposed action in burning copies of the [Quran] is a reckless, irresponsible and unnecessary response to the challenges that are presented by a resurgent Islam.”