A
senior Protestant clergyman has said the Pope's visit to Britain proved
there is greater interest in Christianity than is normally reflected in
the media.
Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Dr Ken Good
has told a meeting of his diocese, attended by senior figures from the
Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, that faith in God was
more mainstream than was usually portrayed.
He has told his
diocesan synod at a meeting in Londonderry that any attempt to
marginalise the positive influence of religion risked undermining the
good of work of people of faith.
He cited the reception given to
Pope Benedict as evidence of the continued healthy state of religious
communities and he warned against marginalising them through a
"misguided political correctness".
"The recent visit of Pope
Benedict XVI to Scotland and England confirmed what many of us have
known, namely that there is in fact a higher level of public interest in
the Christian faith and in issues to do with Christian leadership and
influence than might be assumed from the normal fare of media coverage,"
he said.
"Despite the best hopes and efforts of some of the 'new
atheists', matters to do with religious faith, far from disappearing
into the background of social consciousness, are very much to the fore
in many people's minds and, if anything, are gaining a more prominent
place in social discourse rather than receding into the mists of
oblivion.
"It is a good and healthy thing for society that
religious faith, moral issues, ethical debate and church teaching appear
on the front page of newspapers and in the headline news on TV and
radio - as they certainly did during the papal visit.
"We believe
that society would be very much the poorer if religious values and
practices were to be sidelined and marginalised, whether by a misguided
political correctness or by a mistaken attempt supposedly to 'not
offend' anyone."
The Church of Ireland event has been attended by
Moderator of the Presbytery of Derry and Donegal Rev Dr Brian Brown,
Catholic Bishop of Derry Dr Seamus Hegarty and President Designate and
Superintendent of the North West District of the Methodist Church in
Ireland Rev Ian Henderson.
In his address he has also welcomed
recent comments by Conservative Party chairman Baroness Warsi
highlighting the Government's desire to see churches play a role in
strengthening community life.
He added: "These are indeed exciting times
in which to be living as a person of faith."
SIC: BT/NI-UK