Article For Folkestone Herald and Kentish Express

28 July 2005

On Sunday morning Sandra and I went to a rather special service at St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church in Saltwood. The occasion was the opening of an extension to the Church and the sermon was given by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

He talked about the bombings in London and the attacks which have been made, in their aftermath, by some commentators on the whole concept of faith.

It was very a thought-provoking address which certainly set me thinking – though I should emphasize that the thoughts which follow are mine, not the Archbishop’s.

There has been much discussion about the way in which those responsible for these and other atrocities were perverting the faith of Islam. It does seem to me to be crucial to make the distinction between the extremists who pervert Islam in this way and those who follow the true beliefs of Islam.

It may be helpful in this context to remember that Islam is by no means the only religion which has sometimes been perverted and where these perversions have led to terrible consequences.

Christianity has not escaped – the Spanish Inquisition springs to mind but it is by no means the only example. There are examples in Judaism. Too.

So, in resisting the attacks on faith, many of us will want to reaffirm the centrality of faith and religion to the human conditions and to human existence. But we will do so in a spirit of awareness that religion, which has the power to be an enormous force for good in a troubled world, can also be perverted into a justification for some of the very troubles which can cause so much suffering.

Finally, a word on the “shoot to kill” policy of the police which led to such tragic consequences in London last week.

As a number of people have said it should more accurately be termed a “shoot to protect” policy.

We are faced with suicide bombers who are prepared to blow themselves and countless others, up in an instant. This presents those responsible for policy, and the police who are instructed to carry it out, with huge challenges.

I am afraid there are no easy answers. That is why the policy must stay.