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The 60-second advert, which shows a variety of Christians
including a police officer, weight lifter and school children
each saying one line of the prayer, had been due to be shown
next month before screenings of the new Star Wars film "The
Force Awakens".
Digital Cinema Media, which provides 80 percent of cinema
advertising through chains including Cineworld, Odeon and Vue,
said in a statement it had a policy of not accepting political
or religious advertising in case they caused offence.
"We are bewildered by the decision of the cinemas. The Lord's
Prayer is prayed by billions of people across the globe every
day and in this country has been part of everyday life for
centuries," Reverend Arun Arora, director of communications for
the Church of England, said in a statement.
"In one way the decision of the cinemas is just plain silly but
the fact that they have insisted upon it makes it rather
chilling in terms of limiting free speech."
(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Digby Lidstone)
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