he acknowledged in 1986 that the anglican church had only limited influence in canada's "comfortable" society, saying that it had more authority in places like south africa where it was the victim of persecution. he rejected the suggestion that the church could rebrand itself in the manner of american televangelists, saying "i don't think you can sell religion like soap." in 1988, he accepted a court ruling that ended compulsory recitations of the lord's prayer in ontario public schools.