A CHALLENGE TO THE BISHOP

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

A challenge to the Bishop

Of course there is more to life than science can measure – on that I agree with Bishop Tim (First Person, October 1).

However, one might reply that there is more to life than is allowed for in theology.

I would be interested to hear more about his views on life, particularly following his unfortunate remark last May that the atheist position is a tale told by an idiot.

A week ago I took part in a very useful discussion with Paul Butler, Bishop of Nottingham, organised by Nottingham Secular Society.

Leicester Secular Society has a long history of discussions with people of all views – we would be delighted to arrange a similar discussion with Bishop Tim.

There are, in fact, several occasions already set up when we would welcome his contribution.

At the risk of being accused of self-promotion, I mention my talk at 7.30pm next Thursday about Faith, Humanism and the Secular State; he might also consider the talk to be given at 2pm on Saturday, October 15, by the Rev David Paterson, an avowed atheist who is also a practising Anglican priest.

To come back to the topic: He would indeed be dull of soul who did not respond to the evidence of the human capacity for devotion and the demonstration of the need to come together shown in the Treasures of Heaven exhibition concerning religious relics at the British Museum which the bishop refers to.

I understand the comment of the non-believing curator, that the experience of being close to these objects and seeing their effects on visitors had raised many questions for her, and I am not at all surprised to hear that Muslims and Sikhs have visited the exhibition, though I must say that for me a small village church or even a small Neolithic circle of standing stones can convey more.

This may appear as a challenge to the bishop, to some even a presumptuous challenge, but we have to have a better understanding of one another. Otherwise differences can harden and get in the way of the due recognition and co-operation that we need to develop.

We should all be willing to engage in discussions, both believers and non-believers.

Science and religion are both parts of humanity's search for understanding and meaning, for what it is to be human and how we can live life more abundantly together.

An essential part of being human is to engage in this search with goodwill: I invite the bishop to join in this.

Allan Hayes, Leicester