Losing all Credibility

The RC child-abuse scandal, particularly in Ireland, recently led the Archbishop of Canterbury to mention, in passing, the problem caused for a community in which that Church was so entwined when it had 'lost all credibility'. The comment (leaked somehow from a not-yet-then-broadcast discussion by the BBC) produced high drama. As the Guardian pointed out, 'This perception is so widely shared, and so close to the truth, that to say it out loud has provoked an enormous row'.

The paper goes on, 'To say that the Irish church had lost all credibility was certainly tactless and insulting, and it wasn't even entirely true. The church does retain some shreds of credibility and will recover much more if most of its bishops are sacked.'

I was intrigued, and went on to listed to the 'Start the Week' programme, in which the comment had occurred. I found it was a discussion between Archbishop Williams, the atheist novelist Philip Pullman, David Baddiel, an atheist film-maker, and a Muslim lady Professor whose name was not given in the Radio Times and which I failed to note. To my marked surprise the discussion was a masterpiece of civilization: the protagonists clearly respected and indeed liked one another, and nobody said anything irrational or unpleasant. I was impressed.

Admittedly there wasn't an RC representative there, but the discussion wasn't actually about priestly misdoings, so that wasn't relevant. Perhaps it might be best to leave serious disagreements to those who disagree and who don't have to sell newspapers and other advertising-space.