31 JULY 1971, Page 28

Isis worship

Sir: Plenty of people have died for their beliefs. It is not so common to find people who died for their assertion that an alleged fact of history was historical. It is true, as Professor Wells. says, that the earliest Christian documents tell us about Christ's life or teaching and I admitted this as an 'oddity.' But he is not quite right in saying that they only refer to his Crucifixion. ,l'As I Corinthians 15 shows they were as firm in their assertion of

his resurrection. There is not, I fancy, much difference between me and Professor Wells about the facts. Our only difference is that what he considers to be arguments against Christianity I consider the clinching arguments in its favour.

Christopher Hollis Little Claveys, Mells, nr Frome, Somerset.

Sir: Your readers must now be wellnigh tired out with Isis worship. The final upshot is this. Some discussion of value has arisen out of my book, which has among its aims to trace the unbroken path of an age-old religious tradition. Professor Wells, on another tack, has argued that Jesus never existed. And during the few weeks' debate the professional theologians have stayed silent.

R. E. Witt Over-Seas House, Parke Place, St James's Street, London SW1