That was the message from the Revd Dr Giles Fraser at the Churches Media Conference this week, who said that in general

Church of England bishops were 'defensive' because they are more interested in not upsetting their constituency.

Referring to the Occupy movement's pitching of tents outside St Paul's Cathedral last year, Dr Fraser said the response was such 'a media car crash' because it went to its lawyers and public relations people first.

Instead, it should have worked out from its own convictions, based on the gospel, what it wanted to say – and then asked the experts how to say it.

Dr Fraser famously resigned from his position at St Paul's at the time. 'It was very telling how little theology was done – it was simply a managerial exercise. That's why it was so silly.'

He added that unless Christians interact more with the media – even at the risk of being misrepresented – the church would turn into an 'irrelevance'.
'We have so much to say. There is so much of importance about what we do.

'The church needs to speak out of its own convictions. It needs to be much more open, direct and confident in proclaiming the gospel.

'The one thing we are told time and time again in the gospel is 'Fear not'. If we're speaking the gospel, what's the worst that could happen?