Are the five archbishops right to try to stop the Internal Market Bill?
THE archbishops who have tried to meddle in politics are a disgrace to their cloth. If these Holy Joes want to get political, they should stand for election. Then they will find out how many people support them. They should keep their ecclesiastical noses out of secular politics. Another good reason for reform of the House of Lords. PHILLIP SMITH, Weyhill, Hants.
JUSTIN WELBY, the Archbishop of Canterbury, seems to think his job is to act as a political commentator rather than lead the Church of England and act as a spiritual adviser to the nation. I feel he has done nothing during the pandemic by way of comfort to the nation, while overseeing the lowest church attendance on record. But he finds time to criticise the Government over Brexit, immigration and any other Left-wing stance that takes his fancy. It’s about time he started ministering to the spiritual needs of his flock.
GEORGE MANN, Nottingham. WHY object to the political intervention of Church leaders in the debate over the Brexit legislation? The archbishops are among 26 Lords Spiritual in the Upper House of our Parliament. They are constitutionally entitled — nay, expected — to
pronounce on politics. They bring a moral dimension to debates. Whether we agree with them or not, the archbishops are upholding that important constitutional role.
RIVER AXE-THE-TAX, Manchester.
YOU believe the Internal Market Bill is undemocratic, Archbishop? how many people were allowed to vote for you?
TONY WHEATLEY, Chichester, W. Sussex. SHOULD senior law-makers dispatch a hand-wringing letter to the Press to warn of the dangers posed by prelates who moonlight as political pundits?
IAN WOODWARD, Kings langley, Herts.
THE archbishops ask: ‘If carefully negotiated terms [of the Withdrawal Agreement] are not honoured and laws can be “legally’’ broken, on what foundations does our democracy stand?’
The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse found that the Church of England created a ‘culture where abusers were able to hide’, harbouring hundreds of paedophile priests over decades. Can I draw the attention of the clerics to Matthew 7:5: ‘Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.’
DOUG CLARK, Currie, Midlothian.
THE archbishops should have a good look at their own shortfallings rather than preach to ordinary folk wishing to exercise their right to uphold an election result.
VIC MOLYNEUX, leicester.
THE Archbishop of Canterbury should be concentrating on praying for our deliverance from Covid-19, not interfering in politics. A regular TV spot where religious leaders take turns to publicly lead us in prayer might bring about the miracle the world needs.
Mrs SALLY ARIS, Gawcott, Bucks. I WOULD have thought the five archbishops’ time would have been better spent getting people back into church rather than playing politics.
TERRY CALDON, Thanet, Kent.
I AM incensed with the archbishops getting involved with our exit from the EU. The Government would never think about interfering in the Church of England.
Mrs M. LANGLEY, Coventry. THE Church of England slowly continues on its path to extinction and what is the Archbishop of Canterbury worried about? Brexit!
GORDON FRASER, liverpool.