Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, is no stranger to controversy. He is, however, not used to being on the right side of public opinion. His attack on modern finance – in which he was joined by Dr John Sentamu, the archbishop of York – has popular support. But that does not mean he is correct.

Dr Williams’ is a thoughtful churchman charged with leading the Anglican Church. He has every right to make the case for Christian values. It would be wrong to criticise him for speaking out on matters of public interest – in this case, the corrosive effects of modern capitalism – even when he goes so far as quoting Karl Marx approvingly.