Sentamu sees pubs playing role in helping to modernise Church

Dr John Sentamu spoke in favour of debates in pubs as one method of helping to modernise the church.

He said: "We've got now in the Church of England...where instead of simply advising people to come to our buildings and our churches, people are doing it in a new way and going to many places.

"I've actually gone and had endless debates when I was in Birmingham in pubs with a lot of people and they used to draw quite a lot of people. I think we've got to find a way of getting our message across."

The Archbishop also spoke of the importance of religious teaching in schools in increasing knowledge about the true meaning of Easter among youngsters.

A study of 1,000 six to 10-year-olds by British Lion eggs revealed earlier this week that 53 per cent were unaware of the religious significance of Easter.

Almost 30 per cent thought it was to celebrate the Easter Bunny's birthday, while almost one-in-20 thought it was to mark the birth of Jesus.

He said: "These are children in schools. The real worrying question is what has actually been happening, what are they teaching them?"

In the interview on GMTV he said: "One of your cameramen was telling me that actually the child came home full of the whole Easter story and understood it, so in that school they are doing it well, and in other places.

"May I suggest people should not be worried because the Education Reform Act actually at the moment says there must be a school assembly every day which is mainly Christian and if it is, then the message must be taught."

Dr Sentamu spoke in favour of the idea of using pubs following a working suggestion from a GMTV viewer on ways to modernise the church.

Gordon Brown said Christian churches are "the conscience of our country" in an Easter greeting posted on the Downing Street website.

The Prime Minister hailed the "redeeming power of faith" and said the forthcoming official visit of Pope Benedict would make this a special year for Britain.