Anglican Church head says religions must own up to extremism

The Archbishop of Canterbury says all religions and their leaders must own up to extremist activities within their faith and examine which of their traditional teachings enable extremists to commit evil.

Rev. Justin Welby, the figurehead of the worldwide Anglican Church, told interfaith leaders in Sri Lanka that accepting responsibility is key rather than disavowing an evildoer is not a good enough follower of a religion.

Welby arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday and first visited St. Sebastian’s Church near the town of Negombo and paid homage to those killed in the Easter suicide bomb attacks blamed on extremist Muslim groups. Later he met with Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim leaders.

More than 260 people died in six coordinated attacks on churches and hotels.