Slow death by multiculturalism

A follow up to yesterday's post on the Church of England's Bishop of Rochester's remarks that the church isn't doing enough to convert Muslims to Christianity. Predictably, there's a backlash against Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali. What I should have predicted, but didn't, was that the first to lash out at the bishop would be from within his own church.

...his comments were condemned by senior figures within the Church. The Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, the former Bishop of Hulme and the newly appointed Bishop of Urban Life and Faith, said: "Both the Bishop of Rochester's reported comments and the synod private members' motion show no sensitivity to the need for good inter-faith relations. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs are learning to respect one another's paths to God and to live in harmony. This demand for the evangelisation of people of other faiths contributes nothing to our communities."

A Church of England spokesman added: "We have a mission-focused Christian presence in every community, including those where there are a large number of Muslims. That engagement is based on the provisions of Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides for freedom of thought, conscience and religion."

Since when does a church have an obligation to comply with the EU's conventions on anything? I somehow doubt any mosques in England are observing the same courtesies.