An Interesting Article From the Archbishop of Canterbury

Down with godless government - Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article1687465.ece

This article raises the interesting question of whether morality, or rather morality in government, is possible without the Church. Would there have been an end to slavery without Wilberforce? Does an absence of religion lead to moral nihilism/relativism? How would politics safeguard the intrinsic value of an individual? (Apart from groups that the Church is happy to discriminate against e.g. gays)

However, a closing paragraph reveals another, more politick, concern:

"And I make no apology for saying that the nature and extent of religious representation in the upper house — a bigger issue than the number of Anglican bishops holding seats there — is not a marginal question at all in the light of this discussion. "

The Church of England gets free (i.e. unelected) seats in the House of Lords (26 I think), under threat, no doubt, from current reforms. Why do we not have representatives from other faiths? (NB This might mean a Jedi Lord in the near future) What about atheists (a significant proportion of the populace)? The Church of England needs to go a long way to justify deserving these freebies.