St Luke's Church Eccleshill - Articles from "The Link"

In our "Questions to the clergy" slot, John will try to answer any query you throw at him, without hesitation, deviation or repetition...

The De-Christianized UK?

http://www.answersingenesis.org./docs2005/0621UK_headlines.asp

Q. There is an excellent article about the continuing de-Christianization of the UK the above web site location. What do you think?

(The person asking lives in the USA. The web site article mentions the removal of a fixed cross from a crematorium chapel in Torbay, and the possibility that the Gideons might not be able to place bibles in a hospital in Leicester, and cites these as evidence that Christianity is under attack in the UK.)

A. I'm not very impressed by this article, and I think it's a good example of why you shouldn't believe everything on the internet (or on TV, radio, newspapers or parish magazines either!).

For several decades the numbers in the UK who subscribe to non-Christian world faiths has been growing, mainly because of immigration from former Commonwealth countries. These people are mostly here at our invitation from when we needed people to work here, and I think they have a right to be here and to be respected. Also, nowadays we respect the right of people not to believe the same as their ancestors believed, and again I welcome this and think it's healthy. I think the truth only emerges in an atmosphere of open debate. I think it is a tragedy that the Book of Common Prayer, written when England was assumed to be all Christian, hardly mentions evangelism and outreach at all. Jesus left his disciples with a mission - to persuade others.

I support the removal of the fixed cross in a crematorium chapel. I think people of other world faiths should have the right to choose not to have a cross, just as I would like the right not to have to have Arabic texts. I think it is good for people to have to decide whether they want to opt for the Christian hope of life with Jesus beyond the grave, or not.

The health authority raised two questions about the bibles: (i) whether dirty books might be a health risk, and (ii) whether one faith should have the right to place literature but not other faiths. I think these were good questions. Eventually it decided that (i) there was little risk, and (ii) all faiths should have equal rights to place literature, in moderation, and I think these were good answers.

I think both of these stories are about treating people with respect, and in no way any sort of "threat" to Christianity.

John Hartley

	*St Luke's Church, Eccleshill - The Link* magazine** The Link is published monthly at 40p (Senior Citizens 35p), and we deliver free within the parish and post copies (at the reader's expense) to those who request it. Please contact us if you would like a free copy for a trial period. August 2005, Page 8.
Home Page. Index of articles: by subject, by date. In this issue: August 2005 Star Wars, I need you, Ang/Meth, Terrorism, Question.	In our "Questions to the clergy" slot, John will try to answer any query you throw at him, without hesitation, deviation or repetition... The De-Christianized UK? http://www.answersingenesis.org./docs2005/0621UK_headlines.asp Q. There is an excellent article about the continuing de-Christianization of the UK the above web site location. What do you think? (The person asking lives in the USA. The web site article mentions the removal of a fixed cross from a crematorium chapel in Torbay, and the possibility that the Gideons might not be able to place bibles in a hospital in Leicester, and cites these as evidence that Christianity is under attack in the UK.) A. I'm not very impressed by this article, and I think it's a good example of why you shouldn't believe everything on the internet (or on TV, radio, newspapers or parish magazines either!). For several decades the numbers in the UK who subscribe to non-Christian world faiths has been growing, mainly because of immigration from former Commonwealth countries. These people are mostly here at our invitation from when we needed people to work here, and I think they have a right to be here and to be respected. Also, nowadays we respect the right of people not to believe the same as their ancestors believed, and again I welcome this and think it's healthy. I think the truth only emerges in an atmosphere of open debate. I think it is a tragedy that the Book of Common Prayer, written when England was assumed to be all Christian, hardly mentions evangelism and outreach at all. Jesus left his disciples with a mission - to persuade others. I support the removal of the fixed cross in a crematorium chapel. I think people of other world faiths should have the right to choose not to have a cross, just as I would like the right not to have to have Arabic texts. I think it is good for people to have to decide whether they want to opt for the Christian hope of life with Jesus beyond the grave, or not. The health authority raised two questions about the bibles: (i) whether dirty books might be a health risk, and (ii) whether one faith should have the right to place literature but not other faiths. I think these were good questions. Eventually it decided that (i) there was little risk, and (ii) all faiths should have equal rights to place literature, in moderation, and I think these were good answers. I think both of these stories are about treating people with respect, and in no way any sort of "threat" to Christianity. John Hartley
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