However, his apparent attempt to place those Christians who seek to uphold traditional marriage in the same category as those who defended Apartheid and slavery is deeply unhelpful. It will be particularly offensive to those in black majority churches who do not share his view.

If the Bishop reflects on his visit to the thriving St Paul's congregation in Salisbury, or the recent Prayer Market event involving eight churches at which I spoke, he would understand that these growing congregations object to gay marriage not because they object to homosexuals, but because they believe marriage should follow the biblical pattern affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19.

To redefine the institution of marriage will not remove prejudice, but instead risk legal ambiguities and unnecessarily provoke a sense of resentment and isolation among very many Christians.

If today's church leaders follow Bishop Nicholas, and allow public opinion to define what they preach, I fear the decline in some parts of the Church of England will be terminal.

John Glen MP (Con)
Member of Parliament for Salisbury
London SW1

"It's interesting," said Sir Humphrey, "that nowadays politicians want to talk about moral issues, and bishops want to talk politics."