Archbishop's lecture 'Liverpool, where religious faith is part of the solution, not the problem'

Speaking at St. Georges' Hall, Liverpool, as part of a series of William Roscoe lectures, the Archbishop's address, entitled 'Liverpool, where religious faith is part of the solution, not the problem', focused on liberation, healing, empowerment and the spirit for the agenda of change for the common good.

The Archbishop criticised the term 'faith schools' and described the joint Anglican/Roman Catholic academies as examples of a grounded Christian faith at the heart of a diverse civic life.

The Archbishop said: "Here in Liverpool, you have been amassing strong evidence for the effectiveness of the engagement of the Churches with urban regeneration and civil society. You have been demonstrating over the years, from the days of Roscoe and continuing in so many ways today, that people of faith have a particular propensity to devote themselves to the common good, and that they have the ability, because of their faith, to 'move mountains' and make a difference, especially for the poor."

Referring to the Von Hűgel report, the Archbishop said: "the report urges us to sit up, take note and to better understand each other to make the most of one of this nation's most diverse, creative and enduring assets – The Church."

Notes to editors

Click to read the full text of the Archbishop's Roscoe Lecture.

Moral, But No Compass – Government, Church, and the Future of Welfare, by Francis Davis, Elizabeth Paulhus and Andrew Bradstock, Centre for the Study of Faith in Society at the Von Hűgel Institute, St Edmund's College, Cambridge University, is published by Matthew James Publishing Ltd, price £9.95p.

William Roscoe was a campaigner for the abolition of the Slave Trade. The Roscoe Lectures form part of a special series for Liverpool's European Capital of Culture 2008.