Rob Horgan
THE Bishop of Gibraltar has issued a plea for ancient sculptures to be handed back to the Greeks.
The Elgin Marbles are currently on display at the British Museum but talks are ongoing about returning them to their place of origin.
In his latest column in the Church Times, Bishop Robert Innes claimed the Marbles were removed from Greece ‘in questionable circumstances’ and that their return would be ‘a tonic to national moral’.
“It would be highly appropriate if the Church of England could be seen to be associated with such a gracious act,” he said.
“There is great strength of feeling in Greece over the matter.”
I’m not sure that the good Bishop (of Gibraltar) has thought this through. By extending his logic one could argue that Gibraltar be returned to Spain. Admiral Rooke’s capture of the Rock by force is arguably as dubious (if not more so) as Bruce’s removal of the sculptures under a questionable permit when establishing a position of ownership. Yes I know all about the treaty of Utrecht – I’m just saying I don’t think that the Bishop has thought this through! Standing by for incoming.
Trust an Anglican Bishop to be politically “correct”!
His Church of England was founded in extremely “questionable circumstances” at the time of the
“Reformation”.
I suspect that the Catholic Bishop of Gbraltar ( yes, that tiny tax-dodge Rock has two Bishops !)
would talk more sense on this ,and other matters.