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The Archbishop of York today issues an impassioned rallying cry to the silent majority of Christian Britons to 'wake up' and defend their beliefs.John Sentamu warns that lapsed Anglicans must renew their faith and take a more active role in the Church to ensure cherished national traditions are safeguarded.Writing in today's Daily Mail he highlights a number of recent cases which have threatened to marginalise Christianity in this country.They include community nurse Caroline Petrie, who was suspended as a result of offering to pray for a patient's recovery, before being offered her job back after a national outcry.And yesterday it emerged that Jennie Cain, a receptionist, is facing disciplinary action by her school employer. She is being investigated for professional misconduct after sending out an email asking friends to pray for her five-year-old daughter who was told off by teaching staff at the school for talking about God with other pupils.Today the Archbishop sends a clear message to those in public life who seek to discriminate against devout Christians and urges other believers to rise up in support of victims of mistreatment.'For those who despair at the treatment meted out to these Christian women the message is clear: wake up Christian England!,' he says.His defiant call comes after the Church of England's General Synod yesterday overwhelmingly backed a motion to encourage an evangelical spreading of the faith around the country.The Synod's move is being seen as a watershed moment for the Church.For years, many conservative critics have accused it of being strangled by political correctness and the overbearing influence of the liberal wing.But Archbishop Sentamu said it was an 'affront' for public servants to use their authority to deny the legitimacy of Christianity when the religion had shaped the history and constitution of this country.'Christianity is the tapestry upon which our country's heritage was woven,' he said. 'All of this is lost to those who would deny Christianity any place in our nation today.'As in the days of Noah....
