Article (The Scotsman): Church of England still valid as state religion?

The row over gay adoption has thrown into sharp focus the Church of England's unique role as the country's state religion as Britain grapples with the pressures of a multi-cultural society.

The Church is already battling internal divisions over gay priests and women bishops, struggling to impose any authority in an increasingly secular society and facing a steady drop in congregations.

Even Prince Charles, who one day will be Supreme Governor of the Church of England, wonders whether he should be Defender of Faith rather than Defender of The Faith to mirror the racial and religious make-up of 21st century Britain.

The Church of England became the established church of the land after the 16th Century Reformation when Henry VIII broke ties with the Pope in Rome so he could divorce his first wife.

Now, in a high stakes clash between church and state, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has sprung to the defence of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Catholics want to be excused from new anti-discrimination laws which they say could force their adoption agencies to place children with gay couples.

Williams, spiritual head of the world's 77 million Anglicans, argued: "The rights of conscience cannot be made subject to legislation, however well-meaning."

So who then does he owe allegiance to? (Ed: or "To whom does he then owe allegiance?", thus at a stroke avoiding ending the sentence with a preposition and using the correct pronoun.) Read more