Real response should be live lives normally

This was murder for murder’s sake, terror for terror’s sake

The message of Christianity has always been one of tolerance, compassion and understanding. Now it is one of vigilance. In the two days since Islamist madmen knifed a frail and elderly Catholic priest in a Rouen suburb, the entire Christian faith has come to feel itself under attack.

The priest was chosen as a victim because of his faith, murderer Adel Kermiche telling him that the justification was because Christians had been killing Muslims.

This was murder for murder’s sake, terror for terror’s sake. For this fact it is no less horrifying.

In response, Canterbury Cathedral and churches across the country are now urging their visitors and employees to remain alert.

But our real response ought to be to continue our lives as normal – especially here in Canterbury, where the Cathedral is the mother church of the worldwide Anglican communion.

We rely on huge numbers of tourists visiting day in, day out and cannot suddenly present an image of a city which is panicking or fearful. Ours is a city which greets visitors with a handshake and a smile.

The universalism preached by the early Christians – that everyone is equal in the sight of God – is what we continue to practise today.

Whether we are people of faith or not, whether we are Christian or not, we have a duty to not withdraw from life.

In the face of such nihilistic barbarism as led to the death of Fr Jacques Hamel, we in fact have a duty to celebrate life.