This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/13/anglicans-real-views-on-prince-charles-and-the-coronation-oath

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Anglicans’ real views on Prince Charles and the coronation oath Anglicans’ real views on Prince Charles and the coronation oath
(about 1 month later)
Letters
Wed 13 Dec 2017 19.08 GMT
Last modified on Wed 13 Dec 2017 22.00 GMT
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share via Email
View more sharing options
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest
Share on Google+
Share on WhatsApp
Share on Messenger
Close
The National Secular Society must speak for its own members, estimated at 7,000–10,000. They don’t disclose figures themselves, but this number would fill two or three of our 42 cathedrals.The National Secular Society must speak for its own members, estimated at 7,000–10,000. They don’t disclose figures themselves, but this number would fill two or three of our 42 cathedrals.
Their claim to speak for members of the Church of England when they say that Prince Charles adopting the title “defender of faith” on his coronation would antagonise many of our supporters is a mite presumptuous (Charles’s coronation could ‘open debate on church-state relationship’, 11 December). Prince Charles has held this view for nearly two decades and expressed it both in his words and actions. I would suggest that many Anglicans are familiar with the church’s neighbourliness to people of other faiths and in some places it is already embedded in their DNA.Their claim to speak for members of the Church of England when they say that Prince Charles adopting the title “defender of faith” on his coronation would antagonise many of our supporters is a mite presumptuous (Charles’s coronation could ‘open debate on church-state relationship’, 11 December). Prince Charles has held this view for nearly two decades and expressed it both in his words and actions. I would suggest that many Anglicans are familiar with the church’s neighbourliness to people of other faiths and in some places it is already embedded in their DNA.
In my own diocese of St Albans, as in many others, parishes enjoy warm contact and a shared commitment to acting for the common good. In my own diocese of St Albans, as in many others, parishes enjoy warm contact and a shared commitment to acting for the common good. 
Perhaps the National Secular Society, rather than speaking for the Church of England, would like to share some of our concerns at this time of year for bringing care and cheer to the lonely, the poor and homeless, the hungry, the forgotten and all those including many of the foregoing who wish to celebrate the message of peace on Earth and goodwill to all, still so clearly needed in many places and hearts.Rt Rev Richard AtkinsonBishop of BedfordPerhaps the National Secular Society, rather than speaking for the Church of England, would like to share some of our concerns at this time of year for bringing care and cheer to the lonely, the poor and homeless, the hungry, the forgotten and all those including many of the foregoing who wish to celebrate the message of peace on Earth and goodwill to all, still so clearly needed in many places and hearts.Rt Rev Richard AtkinsonBishop of Bedford
• There is a simple solution for the coronation oath for Charles: he should use Latin, which had no definite or indefinite article, so that fidei defensor has the constructive ambiguity to mean either defender of the faith or simply defender of faith.John HaighBrighton• There is a simple solution for the coronation oath for Charles: he should use Latin, which had no definite or indefinite article, so that fidei defensor has the constructive ambiguity to mean either defender of the faith or simply defender of faith.John HaighBrighton
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
AnglicanismAnglicanism
Prince CharlesPrince Charles
ChristianityChristianity
ReligionReligion
MonarchyMonarchy
lettersletters
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content