The former Chaplain of Queen Elizabeth II has taken aim at King Charles and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for failing to acknowledge Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, accusing Britain of displaying "two-tier religion".
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan was the only public figure to acknowledge both Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent on social media.
Taking to X, Khan told his followers: "Today marks Ash Wednesday - a day of reflection and prayer for thousands across our city, as Lent begins. Wishing all Londoners observing, a peaceful and meaningful Lent."
However, both the Royal Family and the Prime Minister failed to post about the important day in the Christian calendar, despite marking Ramadan in February.
Former Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II has hit out at the failure of King Charles and Keir Starmer in acknowledging Lent and Ash Wednesday
Getty / GB News / PA
Discussing the snub on GB News, Dr Gavin Ashenden hit out at the "very odd" decision not to acknowledge Christians, criticising the "complete silence" for Britain's Christians.
Ashenden stated: "It's all very odd and it's not easy to understand because it's the right and courteous thing to do, to wish Muslims well on what is for them, a very important feast day, why would we not want to be courteous and generous and supportive to people, quite rightly, pursuing their own religious devotions?"
Highlighting how the move appears to demonstrate another case of "two-tier" in this country, Ashenden added: "As well as two-tier policing, we appear to be having two-tier religion in this country, because there's complete silence for the Christians who still make up nearly 50 per cent of the country.
"It's worse than that, really, because the way in which the religions are presented is at one level, as if we are just only cousins and sort of fellow Abrahamic religious travellers, but that isn't the whole truth."
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London Mayor Sadiq Khan was the only public figure to acknowledge Ash Wednesday on social media
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Highlighting the silence from the King and the Royal Family social media accounts, Ashenden stated that it is particularly "odd" that he remain silent, given his prestigious title as the head of the Church.
Ashenden told GB News: "It's very odd indeed that the King, who's head of the Church of England, should simply be silent. It's an act of discourtesy at one level, but at another level, it's hard to understand it as being just discourtesy.
"Only two weeks ago, in the Congo, 70 Christians were beheaded by what's called 'Muslim extremists'. Except that it isn't extreme, because it's increasingly normal. There is therefore a level of tension and ambivalence between the two religions."
Offering praise for London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who wished Christians a "peaceful and meaningful Lent", Ashenden poked fun at the fact that Khan - who is a Muslim - was the only public figure to mark the Christian holiday.
Dr Ashenden told GB News that there is 'complete silence' for the Christians of Britain
GB News
Ashenden stated: "I love the idea that Sadiq Khan is a more observant Christian than the woman Bishop of London, but it seems to be the case, and it really is very difficult to know what to make of this.
"There isn't a simple explanation. Part of it, of course, is that Islam is not just a religion, it's a powerful political movement. And I think it's partly its political nature that's being celebrated by the left."
He added: "But the problem is that's too simplistic and it doesn't recognise the complexity of the reality the two face. Essentially, we're in competition for the hearts and minds of our neighbours, and we have two different narratives about God.
"Jesus and Muhammad are not the same. One is a warlord, the other is a saviour. And I think it's time for Christians to actually make more noise in society and explain why we're so glad to be Christians, and why being a Christian is a great thing."
