Archbishop of Cantebury Suggests New Law To Replace Blasphemy Ban

Yesterday in London, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams delivered the James Callaghan Memorial Lecture, according to Times Online. In his remarks, Williams conceded that Britain's current blasphemy law "is unworkable and that its assumptions are not those of contemporary lawmakers and citizens overall." However, Williams urged replacing it with broader legislation to protect religious sensibilities. He argued that a new law should punish "extreme behaviors" that have the effect of silencing arguments. The government is in the process of consulting with the Church of England about a government proposal to abolish Britain's existing blasphemy prohibitions. (See prior posting.)