Letters: The contentious issues of religious conversion

Hard to reconcile

Sir: Although not an Anglican, I appreciate Michael Nazir-Ali’s dilemma (‘A change of mind and heart’, 23 October) and know many Anglicans whose loyalty to the C of E is being severely tested. But insofar as his theology is classically Protestant and evangelical, it is difficult to see how the former bishop can reconcile it with the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on the sacraments, the office of the Pope, the role of Mary, purgatory and justification, to name but a few contentious issues.

He speaks of how ‘what Anglicanism in its classical form has held most dear is being fulfilled in the progression of the Ordinariate’. Assuming that classical Anglicanism is summed up in the Book of Common Prayer and the 39 Articles of Religion of the Church of England, with their strong emphasis on the biblical and Protestant doctrine of justification through faith alone in Christ, Michael Nazir-Ali must have had a significant change of heart and mind, or be doing some remarkable theological gymnastics. There are, however, alternatives to the Roman Church for troubled Anglican evangelicals. These include Anglican jurisdictions as well as theologically conservative Presbyterian and free church connections such as the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. Whatever way is chosen it will involve sacrifice, but such is the way of faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

Kenneth Brownell

London E8

Call them publishers

Sir: In his otherwise excellent analysis of why internet and technology companies must be properly regulated in order to stem online threats of violence (Politics, 23 October), James Forsyth misses one obvious remedy. Instead of constantly referring to these unregulated titans as social media companies, we need to see them for what they are: publishers. That way, the legal system might stand a better chance of holding them to account.

Grant Feller