Wearing a cross is just a “religious decoration” for many people and not an essential part of Christianity, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said. Dr Rowan Williams said it had become something “which religious people make and hang on to” as a substitute for true faith.
He made his comments on the day it emerged that the Government is to argue in the European Court that Christians do not have the “right” to wear a cross as a visible manifestation of faith.
His remarks angered Christian campaigners who accused the Archbishop of failing to stand up for the right of believers to wear crosses.
Judges in Strasbourg are to consider a test case on religious freedom in Britain later this year.
It will bring together four separate cases, including that of Nadia Eweida, a British Airways employee who faced disciplinary action for wearing a cross at work.
Documents drawn up by the Foreign Office argue that wearing a cross is not protected under the European Convention on Human Rights because it is not viewed as an essential component of Christianity.
Speaking at a church service in Rome, where he met the Pope at the weekend, Dr Williams said the cross had been stripped of its meaning as part of a tendency to manufacture religion.
Taking as his text the account of Jesus driving the money changers from the temple in Jerusalem he said the temple had become a “religion factory” rather than a place of worship.
“I believe that during Lent one of the things we all have to face is to look at ourselves and ask how far we are involved in the religion factory,” he said.
“And the cross itself has become a religious decoration.”
Andrea Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting part of the European Court claim, said the remarks were “unhelpful”.
Mrs Eweida was unaware if the Government had gone against her in its submissions to the Strasbourg court, but said many politicians were supporting her cause.
“I believe that the Government are divided. Vince Cable is my MP and he has supported me, and David Davies and John Reid supported me,” she said.
Speaking at a church service in Rome, where he met the Pope at the weekend, Dr Williams said the cross had been stripped of its meaning as part of a tendency to manufacture religion.
Taking as his text the account of Jesus driving the money changers from the temple in Jerusalem he said the temple had become a “religion factory” rather than a place of worship.
“I believe that during Lent one of the things we all have to face is to look at ourselves and ask how far we are involved in the religion factory,” he said.
“And the cross itself has become a religious decoration.”
Andrea Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting part of the European Court claim, said the remarks were “unhelpful”.
Mrs Eweida was unaware if the Government had gone against her in its submissions to the Strasbourg court, but said many politicians were supporting her cause.
“I believe that the Government are divided. Vince Cable is my MP and he has supported me, and David Davies and John Reid supported me,” she said.