Research Papers - Economy and Politics

Rethinking religion in an open society

Simon Barrow — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:43:16 +0000

Though the role of religion in society has come back onto the agenda with a vengeance in recent years, the political, spiritual and intellectual resources at our disposal for handling the issues involved seem perilously thin on all sides in public life. This paper aims to reconstruct some key terms in the debate and to offer a positive case for a 'disestablished' form for religion within a plural social and political order. In particular it suggests that the alternative to hegemonic religion or attempts to exclude religion from public life lies in the rediscovery of an alternative form of politics rooted in practical 'goods' and 'virtues' derived from different communities and traditions, accompanied by the development of a 'civil state' framework.

Simon Barrow

Summary: An economy worth believing in

Simon Barrow — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:34:10 +0100

A paper summarising some recent interventions from faith bodies on the debate about economy, globally and locally. It also highlights the historic links between Christian thought/action and oikonomia (the management of the household), some different stances on markets, and Ekklesia's own research paper, Is God bankrupt? - a response to a British and Irish churches' report on 'prosperity with a purpose'.

Simon Barrow

Religion and Secularism Network

Simon Barrow — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:00:38 +0100

The Religion and Secularism Network is coordinating a programme of lectures and workshops taking place at the University of Cambridge and elsewhere - aiming to clarify the relationship between the state and religion conceptually and empirically. It is funded under the AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society Workshop. It is coordinated by David Lehmann, John Barber, Humeira Iqtidar and Emile Perreau-Saussine. This is a project Ekklesia is participating in rather than running. We are endorsing, supporting and collaborating in it as part of our own research/discussion programme on inclusive models of secularity and the challenge of post-Christendom - Reconsidering the Secular.

Ekklesia Staff

Faith and Politics After Christendom

Press Office — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 18:15:18 +0100

This book examines the changing relationship between faith and politics. For the best part of 1700 years, the institutional church has enjoyed a hand-in-hand relationship with government. Indeed, the church has often been seen as the glue that has stopped political systems from disintegrating into anarchy. But in this post-Christendom era the relation of Church and State has weakened to the point where the church can no longer claim to play any significant part in Government. What does the future hold? Where is it all heading? What should be done in the face of radicalised religion?

Jonathan Bartley

Is God Bankrupt? A theological response to Prosperity with a Purpose

Simon Barrow — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 12:29:59 +0000

The aim of this response to the new CTBI report on the ethics of affluence, offered by the theological think tank Ekklesia, is to clarify what it says and what it means; to reflect on its approach and how it justifies it; and then to look at how it makes use of theology in articulating principles for engaging market economics. We argue that while the document contains useful analysis and ideas, it is theologically weak in ways that may relate to other inadequacies. But we welcome it as a contribution to an ongoing and important discussion.

Simon Barrow