I write to correct any misconceptions created by your correspondents Martin Henderson (Archbishop's "insult" to the non-religious, Soapbox, November 12) and Rory Mulvihill (Squaring circle over morality, Readers' Letters, November 15) concerning the speech delivered by the Archbishop of York in the House of Lords on April 19.

I am at something of a loss as to why, more than six months on, they should begin taking exception to what was then a widely reported speech. Perhaps they have recently seen it misquoted elsewhere, or quoted out of its original context.

In his speech the archbishop was highlighting the view of the law lord, Lord Denning, that much of the English legal system and English morality had its foundations in the Christian religion. The archbishop agreed and quoted Denning approvingly.

One only need look at fundamental legal decisions around which our legal system is still based to see the extent to which religious questioning and reasoning still informs the law and consequently our morality.

The full text of the speech can be read on the archbishop's website, via www.dioceseofyork.org. However, in order to clear up any misunderstandings created by Messrs Henderson & Mulvihill, I reproduce the final paragraphs of the speech here: "Balancing the rule of law and freedom has been the greatest gift this nation has offered the world. I trust, therefore, that we will not give away that birthright for the very thin stew of so-called social justice.

"The sure-footed way of keeping our birthright is the maintenance of true religion and virtue', as we say in the prayers.

"How? By maintaining the intermingling of religion, morals and law. The severance of law from morality and of religion from law has gone much too far. Although religion, law and morals can be separated, they are nevertheless still very much dependent on one another. Without religion, there can be no morality, there can be no law'.

"So said Lord Denning."

Arun Arora, Archbishop's director of communications, Bishopthorpe Palace, York.


* Like Martin Henderson (Readers' Letters Nov 12), I have taken a shot at the archbishop in your columns. Nevertheless, I cannot join in his criticism of you for publishing his pronouncements. As long as you publish our criticism too, I think you are doing your job.

I suggest that Mr Henderson would do better to point out that if the archbishop's speech in the House of Lords was asserting that he himself would become a monster if he did not face the prospect of eternal rewards and punishments, we must defer to his expertise: he knows himself better than we can.

If, however, he is saying that the same thing is true of the rest of us, I hope and I think he is wrong. He should reflect that his approach turns Mother Teresa from a saint to a canny long-term investor who can recognise an infinite rate of interest when she sees it.

Brian A Jones, Clinton Street, Brooklyn, New York, USA.