One fo my chief concerns as a practising Christian, church member and 'part-time' theologian (I've written three Christian books and edited a theological magazine) is the general gullibility of the modern church and its members (largely through poor teaching and poor application of the Bible) in the public square of real life.

I have constantly applauded, however, the fearless speaking out of the Roman Catholic Church on social issues (abortion, stem cell research,  et al). At the same time I have long since given up hope that British Anglicans (other than the excellent Bishop Nazir-Ali), like Rowan 'Atkinson' Williams, will join the public debate twith cutting edge biblical insight, remianing instead gutless and toothless 'wonders' when it comes to applying Christ's teachings to the modern world.

However, when it comes to slavishly following nonsense worldly trends and thinking by imbibing alarmist beliefs on green issues and climate and in business ethics etc, the modern church appears, almost universally, without thinking leadership. Today, it is the turn of the leader of the British Roman Catholic Church to embarass himself by claiming 'capitalism is dead' because of the credit crunch.

May God help us if it is. It is capitalism, built on the principles of the Judeo-Christian work and business ethic that requires us to 'subdue the earth' and be good stewards of it, that is wholly responsible for pulling millions out of abject poverty.  The naivety of much modern church leadership is in failing to grasp these things.

Hence the widespread naivety and gullibility that marginalises the impact much of the modern church and its views.