18 JANUARY 1975, Page 5

Christian influence

Sir: So Mr and Mrs Reeve (January 4) see a connection between the deterioration of the world economic situation over the years" (which yearsIn Particular?) and "the general rejection of Christian principles". Do they, similarly, attribute the spectacular economic advance in the last quarter century as a whole (see the Economist of the same date) to a not very widely Published upsurge of Christian principles during that period? J. C. Maxwell Balliol College, Oxford'