January 6, 2002

Dear Sir,

I fear that "Anghywleidad" (The Royal Gazette December 29, 2001) may have thrown out the baby with the bathwater in his/her chastisement of the Christian Church.

Brad Stetson, in reviewing A.J. Schmidt's "Under the Influence: How Christianity Transformed Civilisation", says "Foremost among these gifts is respect for people. From saving the throwaway babies of the Roman Empire, to opposing abortion, to caring for the sick, elderly and handicapped. It was with the advent of Christianity that the weak were protected and human equality became a reality. Other contributions include the invention of hospitals in the fourth century, as well as orphanages and charitable organizations. Further, the Christian inception of universities gave us the basic concept of higher learning that has contributed so much to the human progress".

In the scientific world, a host of eminent scientists were and are committed Christians - from Leonardo da Vinci to George Washington Carver to Dr. Henry Morris. When Carver won the Roosevelt Medal in 1939, the citation read "To a scientist humbly seeking the guidance of God and a liberator to men of the white race as well as the black." Carver was born a slave.

Where would science be today without the contributions of Pasteur, Newton, Faraday, Galileo, Bacon, Boyle and Linneaus? Their inspiration? - the God of the Bible, and their fundamental beliefs.

In our own little community, many Christian people are working quietly, away from media headlines, for no earthly reward save the knowledge of doing God's will for the betterment of society. Ask the recipients of church scholarships of the profound effect the love of Christ has had on their lives. I recall one fundamental Christian family, the brothers of which put their educations on hold to work to put their sister through college - years before scholarships were as available as they are today.

With regard to the US Constitution, I believe that "Freedom of Religion" not "Freedom from Religion" was intended. The Supreme Court, in a decision in 1892, stated that there is to be found "a profound reverence for religion and an assumption that its influence in all human affairs is essential to the well-being of the United States" These men knew full well what happened in England with the passage of the Conventicle Action in 1665, and the Test Act which compelled attendance at the "Established Church". No freedom of religion here, too bad if you were of fundamentalist persuasion, or of no persuasion.

IN the present climate of anti-Christian paranoia and hysteria much of this is conveniently forgotten or never told. The Inquisition and Salem Witch Trials notwithstanding (the perpetrators must give account some day), a tremendous among of good has been and continues to be done by Christians.

JOCK STEWART

Sandys Parish