The Church posted advertisements online on Wednesday for two new posts of "National Young Vocations Adviser" and "National Minority Ethnic Vocations Officer" as part of a drive to ordain 6,000 new clergy in the 2020s to replace those reaching retirement.

The advertisements made clear that while experience in marketing and working with "millennials" -- the trendy term for young people favoured by middle aged advertising gurus and bloggers -- would be considered an advantage, a belief in the tenets of Christianity would not.

They specified that the posts, likely to involve organising and speaking at services and Christian youth retreats, did "not have an occupational requirement to be Christian".

The two advertisements were hastily withdrawn after an outcry from existing clergy.

A spokesman for the Church of England said it had been a "mistake" and the adverts had "slipped through unchecked".

The Church is pinning its hopes for survival in the face of a steep decline in attendance on a new multi-million pound "reform and renewal" drive championed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby.

It involves pumping £72 million into projects and outreach efforts aimed at winning new converts and encouraging existing congregations to talk more openly about their faith.

Archbishop Welby and Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, have also declared this week, the run-up to Pentecost Sunday, as a special week of prayer for new growth.

The notice advertising for the Young Vocations Adviser explained that the successful applicant would be able to "create change by inspiring and supporting others in a wide network with a strong track record of delivery".

It added: "Professional knowledge of Millennial Christianity and/or recruitment marketing would be an advantage.

"This role does not have an occupational requirement to be Christian.

"We particularly encourage applications from BAME [Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic] individuals, women and people with disabilities as they are currently underrepresented in this organisation."

Elsewhere it adds that applications were welcome from "candidates of all religions and beliefs, race, age, sexual orientation and all factors irrelevant to a person's working ability".

One prominent cleric joked: "It is remarkable, faith is not even in the 'desirable criteria' but you do have to be 'in sympathy with the Church of England' - so that rules me out."

Another, the Rev Dr Peter Sanlon, Vicar of St Mark's, Tunbridge Wells - who at 36 is among the younger clerics - said: "With 44 per cent of clergy over the age of 55, the Church of England is due to see over 20 per cent of its leadership retire by 2021.

"As a young vicar leading a growing church I am keen to help address that by helping people discern a call to ministry.

It is deeply frustrating to observe the panicked managerialism that is gripping the ChurchThe Rev Dr Peter Sanlon

"It is deeply frustrating to observe the panicked managerialism that is gripping the Church.

"The idea that it should even be considered that a Vocations Adviser need not be a Christian believer of some maturity indicates how far we are from addressing the challenges facing the Church in a way that is both faithful and effective."

The Rev Arun Arora, the Church of England's Director of Communications, said: "This was a mistake.

"We have taken the adverts for the role down and will be re-posting them.

"These new roles will carry (to use the legal term) a 'Genuine Occupational Requirement' for the post-holder to be a Christian.

"The adverts that went out slipped through unchecked and for that we are sorry."

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