The Archbishop of Canterbury's warned against the further secularisation of society saying the church remains a vital tool in the fight against poverty.
The Most Revd Justin Welby was speaking to over three hundred Christians at a conference organised by the Church Urban Fund in Stratford in East London, where the organisation claimed 36% of children are living in poverty.
Arcbishop Welby told delegates why they had an important part to play in maintaining the link between Church and state.