THE CONTEXT TEST

“TAKEN out of context” is a standard defence by politicians and others who find themselves on the defensive over some statement of theirs that has drawn media and public criticism. More often than not the defence is unjustified but in the case of the Archbishop of Canterbury's remark that the Catholic Church in Ireland had “lost all credibility” over child-abuse it might just serve to protect him from the storm that the comment caused when it was first reported. Rowan Williams made the remark when recording the BBC Radio 4 programme Start The Week over the weekend. It was not due to be broadcast until Monday morning but somehow the words leaked and forced the Archbishop to issue an apology -- for any offence caused but not, apparently, for the words he used. In the context of the broadcast programme the leak lost a lot of its impact -- it was something said almost in passing.

But the incident shows how fragile relations are now between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church after the Vatican announced that it would welcome CoE clergy hostile to women bishops. It is important that both sides should make an effort to overcome such difficulties before the visit of the Pope to Britain later this year. Otherwise relations will worsen and the little progress made towards co-operation will be lost.