Is Britain a Christian country and, whatever the case, what then?

In the last weekly round-up we noted the current debate on the place of Christianity in the UK but refrained from making any comment ourselves. However, Bob Morris, who has written widely on issues of Church and State, has kindly supplied the following guest post.

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Unusually, British politicians have been talking about religion this Easter.

Events, dear Boy

First, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, whose Department – rather oddly, one might think – leads on faith relations, and then the Prime Minister, David Cameron, both averred that Britain was still a Christian country – Mr Pickles, with customary brutality, reminding us that there is an established Church and advising people to ‘get over’ that fact. A large number of worthies then wrote jointly to the Daily Telegraph (editorially sympathetic to establishment) to challenge ministers’ views, labelling them as both false and divisive in a pluralised society of multiple belief and unbelief. This was countered by a joint letter disagreeing. Continue reading