Russia's Orthodox Church says it defrocks rebel bishop

A rebel bishop who criticized Russia's Orthodox Church for supporting globalization and Kremlin policies was defrocked and dismissed, the Church said Saturday.

Bishop Diomid was barred from serving for advocating a "schism" within the Church and provoking confrontation with the Russian government and society, the Church said in a statement posted on its Web site.

It summoned the bishop from his parish in the Arctic region of Chukotka to Moscow to "immediately repent."

In February 2007, the 47-year old bishop issued a statement in which he criticized the Church for its approval of Kremlin's "anti-people policies" and …