The archbishop told The Australian he had not meant to imply people should not vote for the Prime Minister - a self-professed atheist - and was simply “sounding a caution” about the rise of secularism in politics.

“I had no intention of attacking Julia Gillard at all. My point was the future, not the present - that if the people who don’t subscribe to any religion get stronger, we might have a repeat of what happened in Europe, where the church was sidelined,” he said.

[The archbishop had previously published an op-ed in which he] said many Christians were concerned “someone who does not believe in God may not endorse the Christian traditions of respect for human life, for the sanctity of marriage and the independence of churches.”

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