Truth matters. Trust is under attack. As the General Election looms and the political debate becomes more strident, churches and cathedrals across the UK are hosting political hustings to give candidates a chance to speak and be questioned.
While claims of fake news and disinformation continue to be made and countered, voters are searching for truth and integrity in a sea of spending promises and party political claims.
The search for truth - and the need to react in a world increasingly filled with fake news and disinformation - has prompted a project with its roots in the Church of England's Diocese of St Albans, north of London.
The initiative has the support of members of several faith groups, as well as those not professing any faith. It is in line with a call to "honour the gift of truth, both to speak it and to seek it" made by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York during the election campaign.
Justin Welby and John Sentamu told congregations: "We all have a responsibility to speak accurately, to challenge falsehoods when we hear them, and to be careful to separate facts from opinion."
The St Albans project is focussed on a wide range of issues related to truth, like how continuing developments in technology, communications media, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and social media are impacting society.
Earlier this month, a 'Truth Lab' was held in St Albans where Christian ministers from a wide range of backgrounds met to talk about the erosion of truth. They began to think about strategies to cope with the ever-changing scene.
In the past year, round-table events held in St Albans and London have brought together people from the media, business, science, technology, the civil service, the arts and religion to look at the question of 'Where is Truth Now?'.
An 'Agenda for Action' was proposed and widely distributed, with support coming from across the country.
It identifies a "genuine and dangerous threat" posed by the assault on truth and encourages faith communities to develop a significant role in countering its negative impact.
The Agenda wants to see a programme of debates, workshops and discussions so the effects of disinformation can be highlighted and countered.
It suggests "truth-defenders" be recognised and celebrated and calls for a "clear, short, practical manifesto on truth in public life," and the publication of a faith-based response to "post-truth."
It also calls for "non-digital realities" such as the human longing for truth and meaning to be explored.
No one involved is under any illusion about the scale of the challenge. The election campaign has underlined that.
The strength of feeling was expressed by the new Dean of Westminster, David Hoyle, speaking last week at his Abbey which faces Parliament. He said: "We can see, more clearly than ever, that we have poisoned our own wells. Our political parties now have to be reminded that they should tell the truth. As if there was an alternative."
Tough, challenging words. Yet many will recognise that the Church and other religious groups have themselves been guilty of failing to live up to their own standards when it comes to truth and transparency.
In a world of fake news and disinformation, the St Albans initiative is hoping to show that the Church and other faith communities want to play their part in ensuring truth is valued at the centre of public life.
Rev Peter Crumpler is a Church of England priest in St Albans, Hertfordshire and a former Communications Director for the Church of England.
