Britain's leading Roman Catholic monk has accused campaigning atheist Richard Dawkins of being stuck in the 19th century. Father Timothy Radcliffe OP, former worldwide head of the Dominican religious order, said the biggest threat facing Christianity today was not atheism, but the loss of hope among the young. He said the declining birth rate in the West was down to youngsters not wanting to bring children into a world without hope.

He said the atheists had their time in the 19th century, but had little appeal now. "People have seen in in many parts of the world, particularly China and the Soviet Union, what the effects are of trying to live in a world without God."

The biggest task facing the Christian Church today was not to counter the arguments of Professor Dawkins and his fellows, but to restore hope to the young, he said.

Father Radcliffe, aged 62, is expected to be among those considered as a successor to the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, when he retires. An announcement that Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, who is 80 this summer, is stepping down could come early next year.

The Oxford-based monk was speaking to The Times after being awarded the £15,000 Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at the Christian Resources Exhibition in Esher, Surrey this morning.

Father Radcliffe, now working as an itinerant preacher, said he would enjoy holding the cheque in his hands for about ten seconds, before passing it over to the bursar of his religious house. It was enough to support the work of two monks for two years, he said.

He was awarded the prize for his book, What is the Point of Being a Christian? published two years ago.

Referring to recent assaults on the Christian faith from philosophers, scientists and others such as AC Grayling, Christopher Hitchens and Professor Dawkins, he said: "I do not think we should be the slightest bit alarmed. It would be a great mistake to cast ourselves in the role of some persecuted group. When people criticise Christianity, we should welcome this as an opportunity to engage in debate."

He said the greatest challenge facing Christianity today was a loss of hope. "It is tempting for people to see no way forward. The two main stories the young encounter are the 'war on terror' and ecological disaster. Faced with that, they may well inclined to wonder what future they have. They wonder what future their children will have. So it is very important that as Christians, we are seen to believe in the future of humanity."

The prize is sponsored by the Archbishop's Lambeth Fund in partnership with the religious publishers SPCK and commemorates Dr Ramsey, who was Archbishop from 1961-1974.

The same conference heard how churches in Britain are beginning to welcome prostitutes into their midst, rather than condemning them as sinners.

Churches leaders are increasingly seeing the issue of prostitution as one of "justice" rather than "morality", according to the leading organisation working in the field.

But research shows that clergy still need educating on how to respond when prostitutes turn up in the congregations seeking spiritual solace.

Mark Wakeling, of the National Christian Alliance on Prostitution, compared the issue to that of slavery. Mr Wakeling said: "The Church has in the past been perceived as a judgemental institution. But in reality the Church is engaging with this issue."

He noted that from the early 12th century, the Church in England owned and collected rent from 18 legal brothels in Southwark.

A survey carried out by the alliance of 18 churches in east London found that just six churches were welcoming to prostitutes. The remaining two-thirds found their presence in the congregation theatening and worrying.

Following the Ipswich murders, a further 15 towns and cities are to be surveyed by the Alliance in a joint project with the Salvation Army to discover the full extent and work out ways for the churces to do more to help.

About 80,000 people are thought to be working in the sex industry in Britain, with many of these also

involved in substance abuse, mostly of heroin and crack cocaine. Already, there are 44 church projects in 24 towns and cities, working to help prostitutes and others in the sex industry.