Church of England blasts gov't secularism

LONDON, June 7 (UPI) -- The Church of England claims the British government lacks a strong moral direction, discriminates against Christians and favors Islam in its actions.

A report endorsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury says the governments of Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have presided over an era of "deep religious illiteracy" that has allowed discrimination against Christian faiths take hold, The Times of London reported Saturday.

The report calls for the establishment of a "minister for religion" who could act as a liaison between all levels of government and religious groups and brings into focus the extent to which the Church of England feels betrayed by the secular policies of a government that emphasizes notions of equality among all religions.

"The government has focused so intensely on minority faiths that it has failed to develop a coherent evidence base for the largest religious body in the U.K., the Christian church," the report states, adding, "The government is planning blind and failing parts of civil society. The government has good intentions, but is moral without a compass."

Among the recommendations in the report is a call to fund research on what roles "theology" and "spirituality" play in charity.