HE played Christ in the York Mystery Plays of 1996 - the only amateur actor to take on the role in recent times.

Four years later, he went on to play The Devil in the spectacular Millennium Mystery Plays, performed in York Minster.

He then played a leading role in the 2003 campaign for the plays to be performed again in the traditional setting of the Museum Gardens.

But now Rory Mulvihill has stirred up a devil of a row by attacking the "blind faith" of literalist Christians.

In a letter to the Evening Press, Rory, a lawyer, of Naburn, criticised fundamentalists who "harangued" non-believers during the approach to Easter with their "undeniable evidence" of the resurrection.

He claimed such Christians had been brainwashed from birth into their beliefs by parents, teachers and others, and said he had been one of them for 40 years until he snapped out of the "delusion".

However, his letter has stirred up an unholy hornets' nest, with counter-criticisms pouring in from Christians outraged by his views - including one of Rory's former teachers.

On tonight's letters pages, Mike Walmsley, of Acomb, accuses Rory of displaying an "amazing ignorance" of Christian teaching. "As one of Rory's former teachers, and bracketed by him with his mum, dad, priests and nuns who influenced his early years, I feel that if it took him 40 years to realise that he had been brainwashed, we did not do a bad job on him."

Mr Walmsley also spoke of how sad it was that someone privileged to play the part of Christ in the Mystery Plays should be so bitter about Christianity.

Ian Anderson, of York, said he had read Rory's letter more in sorrow than anger. He wrote: "Being a lawyer like me, he should be willing to investigate the evidence for the Christian faith before he dismisses it."

However, another Mystery Play campaigner, Lee Maloney, spoke out in support, saying he fully agreed with every word Rory had said.

The Archdeacon of York, the Ven Richard Seed, said he had seen the Mystery Plays in the Minster and been deeply moved. "I would hope that for someone who had played a part in them, something of the power of the story would have been communicated to them," he said.

He said some people had a blind faith, while others came to faith through an intellectual struggle, but people ought not to be condemned for either type.

Rory was unavailable for comment.

Updated: 09:40 Wednesday, April 19, 2006