From Mr John Lovett SIR – In his article, “We need better atheists” (Charterhouse, April 16), Stuart Reid postulates what might have happened without the Reformation taking place in this country. It seems to assume that everything the Reformers wanted was bad for the Catholic Church, which is far from the truth.
Not everything the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages did was good or beneficial for the laity. For example, the introduction of the Bible in the English language was greatly resisted by the Church so that the Lollards, those who obtained, read and distributed English copies of the Bible were energetically sought out, persecuted and a number executed. Obviously the Church has repented of this position as we now take for granted the publication in the vernacular of Holy Scripture and its reading in every Mass we attend.
Yours faithfully, JOHN LOVETT Aiskew, Yorkshire