No need for God at vicar’s atheist-friendly funeral service

A PRIEST has been criticised after he admitted his willingness to carry out funeral services for atheists in which God does not get a mention.

The Rev Ravi Holy, a former Satanist and punk rocker, who was ordained in 2003, told The Spectator in a podcast that the ceremonies in his church were “what Jesus would have done”.

“We’ve done funerals where there’s been no reference to God at all, because an atheist who was dearly loved in the community needed to have a funeral somewhere. Ideally we would have had it in the church because it’s the biggest venue, but his family said they didn’t want any reference to God.

“So, I said, ‘well, I’m happy to do that’. For me, from where I am at today, that is theologically correct,” he said.

“I felt I was demonstrating this inclusive and unconditional love of God through those actions,” he added.

“I’m sure they did [feel that], because you weren’t making any demands on them whatsoever,” said interviewer Damien Thompson.

The vicar, from Wye in Kent, admitted he did not ask for permission, but he believed his superiors in the Diocese of Canterbury would have approved.

“I’ve done similar things where I’ve consulted with my ecclesiastical superiors who were 100 per cent supportive,” he said.

One reader on Twitter said he “seemed to forget Jesus saying, ‘No one comes to the Father but through me’.”

Another commented that Mr Holy “sounds more like a confused social worker than a clergyman”, adding: “Whatever his message may be, it doesn’t sound like it has much to do with religious conviction.”