LETTERS A broad church
Sir: We at Holy Trinity Brompton are sad- dened that The Spectator has seen fit to publish an article about us based upon so much half-truth and prejudice CA conta- gious case of HTB', 20 September). In the course of her researches, I am not aware of Cristina Odone making any attempt to con- tact the church's clergy or staff or even a single member of our committed member- ship (around 1,400 on the electoral roll) for information. Instead the article suggests that she has based that 'research' upon interviews with three people: a former reli- gious affairs editor of the Daily Telegraph, a clergyman from Piccadilly and a woman described as 'an HTB regular' but whose name is neither on our electoral roll nor any of our other lists of congregation mem- bers. I wonder, therefore, if you would allow me to correct some inaccuracies.
1. Holy Trinity Brompton has a regular Sunday congregation of some 2,300 people of all ages and from every sector of society — as wide a variety of people as might fre- quent any cinema, sporting event or super- market in this country.
2. We are deeply concerned about the social aspects of the gospel, as can be seen by our work with those afflicted by addic- tions in Earl's Court, our ongoing commit- ment to those in need of love and care on the World's End estate and the teams of young people who make regular visits to prisons at the invitation of official prison chaplains.
3. Far from having 'no room for torment or failure, no head-scratching contempla- tion of grey moral areas', this church is deeply concerned for a proper understand- ing of the faith, as is evidenced by the fact that the Alpha introductory course to Christianity, which started here, is now run- ning in 6,200 churches in 60 countries around the world.
4. We are a parish church in the Diocese of London which is grateful to have the full support of senior clergy of the Church of England, including the two Archbishops, the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Kensington.
If Cristina Odone would be prepared to spend a single day with me here to see the work we are attempting to do in London, I like to think she would feel rather differ- ently about us. She would be more than welcome.
Mark Elsdon-Dew
Resources and Communications Director, Holy Trinity Brompton, Brompton Road, London SW7
Previous page
