Christians and non-Christians have responded on Twitter to an attack by Nigel Farage on the Archbishop of Canterbury by tweeting #ImwithJustinWelby.
Former Ukip leader Farage hit out at Justin Welby yesterday, after the Archbishop in his Christmas message said the world was 'awash with division and fear'.
He tweeted:
Merry Christmas. Ignore all negative messages from the Archbishop of Canterbury and have a great day!
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) December 25, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">In response, Twitter user @KtTup, who describes herself as a priest and a 'Jesus freak', tweeted:
#ImWithJustinWelby
Please re-tweet if you agree.
Let's get this trending.
(fyi @Nigel_Farage ) pic.twitter.com/DxS1yXMloY
Custodian of the faith Nigel Farage accuses amateur theologian Justin Welby of unnecessarily Christian message on Christmas Day. #Christmas
— Robb Sutherland (@changingworship) December 26, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">To my mind @JustinWelby if you're disliked by Nigel Farage you're probably doing something right, keep speaking up and speaking out
— Kate Bottley (@revkatebottley) December 25, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">Apparently @Nigel_Farage says I should ignore @JustinWelby - Read this tweet from the archbishop and then ponder what Farage said https://t.co/idsQujsas6
— Mark Russell (@markrusselluk) December 25, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">In his sermon, delivered at Canterbury Cathedral on Christmas Day, the Archbishop said the world felt less predictable and certain and awash with fear and division. "That uncertainty of our world, our feelings, tells us that our values are in the wrong place," he said. "Economic progress, technological progress, communication progress hasn't resulted in economic justice. It hasn't delivered glory for us. "It is among those on the edge, those ignored, and amongst persecuted believers that I have most clearly seen the glory of God this year, a glory that chases away the fear of terror, the power of death, and the economies of injustice, and presents a path to a more just, more Christ-like world." Welby talked about two people he'd encountered this year and how their faith had helped them in times of suffering. "Let me tell you about a bomb-injured woman in Pakistan, bereft of her youngest child in the blast that had injured her, who said, 'One thing we know, Jesus really is the good Shepherd'," he said. "And a lonely elderly woman in London, and a trafficked teenager in Watford, both of whom spoke recently at a Carol service at Lambeth Palace: they have seen the glory of God in Jesus and he has brought powerful transformation to their lives. People on the edge. "How then do we find glory? The only place and person who can bring glory to us is the child of Bethlehem who became the victim on the cross."
Jesus came to us homeless and in a manger. This Christmas please pray with me for the poor, hungry and homeless, here and abroad.
— Justin Welby ن (@JustinWelby) December 25, 2016 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">Welby clashed with Farage in June, when he told MPs that the Ukip leader was "accentuating [people's] fear for political gain and that is absolutely unacceptable".
He accused Farage of "inexcusable pandering to people's worries and prejudices, that is giving legitimisation to racism".
He has made many calls for compassion towards refugees and those in need, and has also defended those who fear migration.
Earlier this year he told Parliament's The House Magazine it was "outrageous" to label those who worry about the impact of immigration as racist insisting there was "genuine fear" about the impact on housing, jobs and the NHS.
