Archbishop of York says Christians regarded as 'mad' by society

London, Feb. 18 (ANI): The Archbishop of York Dr. John Sentamu has said the society considers Christians to be 'mad' because they are motivated by charity and compassion rather than the reckless pursuit of money. Many Christians are living out their lives as the church dispersed in the world of business and commerce every day. They are involved daily in building the Kingdom and have the daily challenge of living by a set of values that the world thinks are mad," Sentamu said on Tuesday at the Trinity Brompton church in West London.

Sentamu, the second most senior cleric in the Church of England and its first black Archbishop, said the recession should lead to a rediscovery of what is truly important in life.

"All of life is religious and there is a desperate need to reconnect the sacred and the secular. There is no more urgent time than now to break down the compartmentalized thinking that separates trust in God from the world of work," the Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

Sentamu has repeatedly criticised the greed and recklessness in the banking sector, which eventually led to the current financial crisis.

In his latest attack, he said: "In our imagination, addiction to growth, fuelled by over-borrowing (debt), stopped being a bad thing. Instead, it became a means to an end, a route to growth. The unfettered pursuit of profit was never going to deliver. It is this idolatrous love of money, pursuing profit without regard for ethic, risk or consequence, which led us to our current situation."

The Archbishop, however, expressed confidence that London would get through the current recession.

"Just as after the war they had to live through a time of pre-fabs and rationing, I believe we urgently need to rediscover what it is to rebuild the city in our day, and now, in this time of transition, we need to learn how to build it," he said.

Sentamu also said faith cannot be separated from the world of work, and the staff should not be expected to give up their religious convictions when they walk into the office, he added.

"There needn't be a separation between what goes on in church and in our prayers - and what goes on in the office or in the boardroom or on the shop floor." (ANI)