PAPAL CONTROVERSY

by RAY FLEMING
AS a non-believer, I find religious controversies fascinating. The current row over the Pope's incautious use of a quotation from the 14th century about Islam and violence is producing interesting responses from respected figures in Britain and elsewhere. Lord Rees-Mogg is a former editor of The Times, vice-chairman of the BBC board of governors and chairman of the Arts Council. Yesterday, he started his regular column in The Times thus: “Journalists should not criticise Pope Bendict XVI. He has done only what any sub-editor of the Daily Mail does every day. “Confronted with a long and closely written text, he inserted a lively quote to draw attention to the argument.” So that's alright, then. When the next Pope is needed the Vatican should look among the journalistic fraternity for candidates. I much preferred the wise and measured words of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, on the BBC's Today programme: “There are elements in Islam that can be used to justify violence, just as there are in Christianity and Judaism. “These religious faiths, because they are held by human beings who are very fallible, can be distorted in these ways and we all need to recognise that.” And then Dr Williams said something very important: “The big question for me is how much both sides are prepared to be self-critical in discussing aspects of their history that are not pretty and not edifying.”