Religion is an accident of birth and history
May 08, 2008
EDITOR—I have read with interest Paul Kokoski’s letter published on May 5.
EDITOR—I have read with interest Paul Kokoski’s letter published on May 5.
Kokoski argues that only the Catholic Church can be traced back to Christ through the successor of St Peter.
He was remonstrating with his fellow Canadian Autumn Kelly for renouncing her Catholic faith so her future husband Peter Phillips, Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson could keep his place in the royal line of succession. Kokoski thinks that the Church of England, which he dates back to King Henry VIII, is not a true Church.
I am not writing to debate the Petrine theology or the English Reformation. I just want to point out that Kokoski’s feelings are not at all unique.
Many people—perhaps the majority—think that if one of their number converts to another religion, he or she has gone astray, lapsed, or betrayed fellow believers.
In some countries or religious communities the convert suffers ostracism, persecution, and discrimination in employment or education. But conversion apart, there is an obvious truth which many seem to ignore, which is that the majority of people have the religion that they profess because of accidents of birth or history. If you are a Pole you will probably be a traditional Catholic.
Catholicism will be your religion and your culture. You are not likely to find many Anglicans in Poland. You won’t find many Catholics in Saudi Arabia either.
We do not know the right or true faith objectively. We come to faith first either through conversion or tradition and then use reasons to back up or give an account of our faith.
Kokoski, though, makes a factual error that must be corrected. He identifies the Church of England with the Anglican Communion, but the two are not identical.
Rev Amos Kasibante
Leicester, UK
Kokoski argues that only the Catholic Church can be traced back to Christ through the successor of St Peter.
He was remonstrating with his fellow Canadian Autumn Kelly for renouncing her Catholic faith so her future husband Peter Phillips, Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson could keep his place in the royal line of succession. Kokoski thinks that the Church of England, which he dates back to King Henry VIII, is not a true Church.
I am not writing to debate the Petrine theology or the English Reformation. I just want to point out that Kokoski’s feelings are not at all unique.
Many people—perhaps the majority—think that if one of their number converts to another religion, he or she has gone astray, lapsed, or betrayed fellow believers.
In some countries or religious communities the convert suffers ostracism, persecution, and discrimination in employment or education. But conversion apart, there is an obvious truth which many seem to ignore, which is that the majority of people have the religion that they profess because of accidents of birth or history. If you are a Pole you will probably be a traditional Catholic.
Catholicism will be your religion and your culture. You are not likely to find many Anglicans in Poland. You won’t find many Catholics in Saudi Arabia either.
We do not know the right or true faith objectively. We come to faith first either through conversion or tradition and then use reasons to back up or give an account of our faith.
Kokoski, though, makes a factual error that must be corrected. He identifies the Church of England with the Anglican Communion, but the two are not identical.
Rev Amos Kasibante
Leicester, UK