French secularism
Sir, Andrew Carey speaks disparagingly of “extreme secularism of the kind we see in France” which we have been saved from by the Church of England (‘Why Cameron deserves our praise’, 2 May). It’s true that France until recently was a byword for modern Western secularism, underlaid by nominal, dead Catholicism and very resistant to Gospel ministry. However the emergence of the grassroots pro- marriage campaign La Manif Pour Tous tells a different story.
Over one million peaceful protesters took to the streets of Paris in demonstrations against same-sex marriage last year, and much of the energy for this came from a reaction against secularism embodied in a coalition of renewed Catholics and more confident evangelicals. According to some estimates the evangelical church has grown nearly tenfold in the last 30 years. Evangelicals now number around half a million.
While the Roman Catholic Church still has many problems, biblical teaching about marriage, family and the genealogical line, deep rooted over centuries, has provided the foundation for a widespread refusal to accept secular and neo-pagan philosophies about gender and sex, which the government of Francois Hollande and the metropolitan elite is attempting to force on that country.
It could be argued that while the parallel elite in ‘Christian’ Britain is less overtly secular than in France, the opposition here to increasing secularism, including from the church, appears to be much weaker and less effective. The Rev Andrew Symes, Eynsham picture. An example is ‘Junia’ who is well known to the apostles. In English translations ‘Junias’ is masculine whilst most Greek texts and early Church sources have the name ‘Junia’, which is feminine.
New evidence shows that there was editing of the Bible over many decades after it was first written. Urban C Von Wahlde’s groundbreaking work shows that the Book of John has three editions. It also shows that there were various authors. Likewise new evidence shows that Apostle Paul did not write all the letters Christians think he wrote. Even if he did write all those letters his opinions could well have changed during his life. We change our theology so why not Paul? For some people Apostle Paul marginalised women but then he says in Galatians 3:28 ‘In Christ there is no Male or Female’. The picture here is more of equality.
I know that all evidence can be disputed but those teaching in the Anglican community need access to this new material. They then can decide for themselves the strength of this evidence and also develop a greater understanding of the deep issues involved. In the minimum they can at least start to understand where their neighbour is coming from. Mandy Bisset, Southport