Pubdate: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 Source: Sunday Times (UK) Copyright: 1999 Times Newspapers Ltd. Contact: http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/ Author: Stephen McGinty ANTI-DRUGS CHIEF TO QUIT CHURCH OVER HOLLOWAY AN anti-drugs campaigner is set to quit the Scottish Episcopal church after 40 years, in protest at the liberal drug statements of Bishop Richard Holloway. Maxie Richards, named Scotswoman of the Year four years ago for her work among addicts, has found her position incompatible with views she describes as "shocking". Holloway, Bishop of Edinburgh and primus of the Scottish Episcopal church, has attracted a storm of protest after saying that drugs are "intrinsically good" and that parents should teach their children safe drug use. He attracted further controversy a fortnight ago at the launch of a drugs centre in Glasgow when he was re-ported to have asked: "Has anyone got a joint?" Richards, 63, who opened her home to drug addicts 10 years ago and won a Winston Churchill Fellowship Award for her work, believes Holloway's views are unchristian and dangerous. "I do not see how I can stay in the Episcopal church unless I get some satisfactory answers and ac-tion," she said. "I have written to the primus requesting a meeting but four months later nothing has happened. He may leave me no option." Richards plans to raise the dilemma later this month when she lectures students at Oxford on how her faith informs her work. The re-tired schoolteacher believes Holloway should resign if he wishes to continue to make such inflamatory statements. "I don't know how his statements are compatible with his office. He is supposed to be leading people to God and instead he is pushing them towards drugs." Richards said that his comments have outraged many families she has visited as well as the addicts she works with. "One family have already picked the pallbearers for their son and he isn't dead yet. Holloway's words are little comfort to them," she said. Holloway has suffered a backlash since the publication of his book, Godless Morality. Leading members of the Episcopal church have demanded his resignation, while the Anglican archbis-hop of southeast Asia, Moses Tay, branded him a heretic. Rev Dr Kevin Scott, the rector of St Philip and St James' church in Edinburgh, who has repeatedly called for the resignation of the bishop, said he was not surprised at Richards's reaction. "If we depart from our teachings its not surprising that people with conscience and an understanding of what Christianity really is feel less at home." Holloway was unavailable for comment. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea