Scottish Catholic Observer

Bishop Tartaglia, president of the Scottish bishops’ Communications and Press and Media Relations Office, was commenting on the Prime Minster’s speech at Oxford University to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. He said that Mr Cameron’s words came at a time when ‘many of us are concerned that freedom of religion, understood not simply as freedom to worship, but also as freedom to express and teach our faith, is in danger of being eroded in the United Kingdom.’

At the event last week Mr Cameron said: “First, the King James Bible has bequeathed a body of language that permeates every aspect of our culture and heritage. Second, just as our language and culture is steeped in the Bible, so too is our politics.Third, we are a Christian country. And we should not be afraid to say so. Let me be clear: I am not in any way saying that to have another faith – or no faith – is somehow wrong.”

The bishop praised the speech in a letter to the Prime Minster in which he expressed hopes that the PM’s words would be reflected by the ‘courts and regulatory bodies up and down the land.’

He told Mr Cameron that that he was pleased to hear of the address in which the PM ‘acknowledged the fundamental contribution of Christianity to British society, called for a revival of Christian values, and acknowledged the importance of the Christian faith and of other religious faiths to the majority of people in Britain today.’

Bishop Tartaglia has recently challenged politicians on plans to redefine marriage, a proposal being considered by both the Scottish and UK parliaments.