The study day, chaired by the Archbishop on February 8, brought together 11 academics from China and Britain, a combination of theologians, historians, sociologists and anthropologists. The discussion considered the ways that religion interacts with society both in China and western Europe, and what role religion has to play in issues such as social cohesion in these different contexts.

The intention of this dialogue has been to build on the Archbishop's own encounters with academics during his visit to China in October 2006.

"This has been a most unusual and worthwhile encounter," said Williams. "It has been fascinating to explore together the challenges presented in our different social contexts. It is crucial that we understand better the rapidly changing place of religion in China today, and the serious attention now paid by Chinese scholars to religious issues and to the potential of faith for deepening the moral vision of society."

The day included discussion of papers by two of the British and two Chinese academics, which consider the development of religion in contemporary European and Chinese society, and the ways in which different religions can relate to each other and to other philosophies in each of those situations.

The study day concluded with a dinner hosted by the Archbishop and his wife, Jane Williams, to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

The participants were, in addition to the Archbishop:

• Prof. Zhuo Xinping, Deputy Director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, CASS
• Prof. Gao Shining, Senior Researcher in the Sociology of Religion, CASS
• Prof. Yang Huilin, Head of Department of Chinese Languages and Culture, Renmin University, Beijing
• Prof. He Guanghu, Professor of Philosophy and Christian Studies, Renmin University, Beijing
• Prof. Xu Jilin, Professor of Modern Chinese History, Shanghai Normal University
• Prof. David Ford, Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge
• Prof. Grace Davie, Professor of Sociology, University of Exeter
• Prof. Stephan Feuchtwang, Professor of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political Science
• Prof. Ben Quash, Professor of Christianity and the Arts, King's College London
• Dr. Alan Hunter, Senior Lecturer in History, International Relations and Politics, Coventry University
• Dr. David Cheetham, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Inter-Religious Relations, University of Birmingham