Jean Calder (The Argus, March 27) displays a basic misunderstanding of Christian doctrine with a hopelessly muddled mixture of politics and Christianity.

May I suggest she contacts a good Bible-teaching church and enrols on a "Christianity explained" course.

It could be a whole life-changing experience.

I would, however, like to comment on two aspects of what she has to say. The first is the references to social justice and Christian socialism.

It is true that Jesus mixed with tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners and that we shall be known by our good works but this was not the primary purpose of His ministry, which was to offer eternal salvation to all those who accepted Him.

Socialists cannot highjack Christianity by talking about Christian socialism. It's like qualifying Christianity by adding on an ideology, which is sheer idolatry.

Miss Calder's best point is left to last. How important are priests in the Church today?

Evangelicals believe that with the death of Jesus on the cross, when the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, Jesus became our intermediary and Great High Priest, the way to God was open and this made the role of the priests continually offering sacrifices on our behalf redundant.

The job of the clergy today is to offer leadership to the Church, to act as pastors and teachers and to see that the Lord's Supper is properly remembered.

-Alan Nunn, Hove