Falling church congregations do not mean the West is the godless place the 11 September terrorists believed, the Archbishop of Canterbury has argued.

The Most Reverend George Carey said the idea of a more secular society was still one of the issues that needed to be tackled with greater urgency in the wake of the US terror attacks.

The rhetoric of the terrorists and their supporters was that the West was corrupt and decadent

George Carey Archbishop of Canterbury

In a major speech, Dr Carey said globalisation and ways of building links between different faiths were other issues given a new edge by the atrocities.

The archbishop, who retires after eleven years in his job later this year, said the Church of England must focus on helping the poor as it responds to the challenge of globalisation.

His comments come as Christian charities prepare to take part in a mass rally of Parliament on Wednesday calling for fairer trade.

Helping poor nations

Delivering the One People Oration at Westminster Abbey on Monday, Dr Carey said people should be cautious in thinking globalisation was fatally flawed.

The opening up of new world markets had brought benefits to poorer nations through foreign investment, he said.

"Nevertheless, we have to recognise that rich and poor nations are not competing on a level playing field," Dr Carey continued.

Indeed, the process risks creating new exclusion.

The archbishop argued the Church should play its part in ensuring proper checks were put on the globalisation process.

"We should be working in critical solidarity with the international institutions tasked with regulating global capitalism, rather than writing them off as irretrievably serving the interests of the rich nations," he said.

Dr Carey cited the Jubilee 2000 campaign for the cancellation of Third World debts as an example of what such drives could achieve.

Terror rhetoric

The rise of a more secular society was a second issue given new currency by 11 September, he said.

"The rhetoric of the terrorists and their supporters was that the West was corrupt and decadent - principally as a result of a pervasive godlessness," Dr Carey went on.

I am uneasy when diminishing Sunday Church attendance is offered as proof of the so-called triumph of secularism in this country

George Carey

"The implication was that Christianity has capitulated to the forces of secularism."

The archbishop challenged that "crude caricature" of modern society.

"I am uneasy when diminishing Sunday Church attendance is offered as proof of the so-called triumph of secularism in this country," he said.

Inter-faith links

Fewer people now went to Church on Sundays than 50 years ago but the Church's influence in society, he said, through schools and help to the needy, remained no less effective.

Christians must not lose their nerve, he argued, and they needed to find new ways of connecting with those outside the Church.

Dr Carey visits the Pope for the last time as archbishop later this week.

He said links between different Christian denominations had improved but there was still room for more co-operation.

The US terror attacks, however, especially underlined the need for close connections between different faiths - an issue long pursued by Dr Carey.

Countering extremism

He pointed to initiatives set up in recent months to bring better dialogue.

Violent extremism "in the name of religion" was not confined to one faith and showed no sign of diminishing, he said.

"The overwhelming majority in all religions who reject this violent barbarism must redouble our commitment to greater mutual understanding," he said.

"This is not a new process but I think we all appreciate its urgency."