Christianity in one form or another has invariably been a central feature of the Western cultural heritage. What is not sufficiently acknowledged however is that this may not be so for the future. During the present century the pervasive influences of a secular world order and the dazzling effects of an international communications and entertainments technology have already altered decisively the major constituents of the Western cultural heritage itself. It is not so much that mankind has increasingly become averse to all moral influences, but rather that any body of moral teaching which is seen to spring primarily from long established authority and tradition is likely nowadays to encounter widescale rejection or indifference, particularly where the sensibilities of the young are concerned.