29 JULY 1943, Page 11

Sin,—Mr. Kiely in his interesting letter in your July 23rd

issue is wrong. Belief in Christian doctrine, despite the lack of it on our school curriculums, is a widespread social bond. Mr. Kiely bases his observa- tion on the assertion that there are few churchgoers. One does not have to go to any church to be a practising Christian. One goes to a church to give expression to our faith. That faith can be within us outside the four walls of a church and can also be so expressed. The very fact that the teaching and understanding of Christianity itself has for so long been wholly neglected in our schools of every type has, in the main, given rise to the arguments stated by Mr. Kiely. These arguments are not based on facts but on lack of facts. Even the scepticism of Have1oc.k Ellis was tempered by a profound respect for Christian ethics. And Bertrand Russell was not above realising that Christianity, properly understood and practised, was likely to be a potent factor towards stabilising a strangely unstable world. Education in

Christianity is sadly needed and if the new White Paper promises even a modicum of such education we must, being Christians, be grateful for the recognition. But does the White Paper suggest any Christian