Christian think tank says government should stop propping up religion

-25/07/06

A UK t


Christian think tank says government should stop propping up religion

-25/07/06

A UK think tank has said that the present situation where churches seek government support in areas like education, and government uses faith groups to prop up its own social agenda, is unhealthy for all concerned.

In a new discussion paper for both religious and secular opinion formers, Ekklesia argues that the demise of ëChristendomí in the West creates a positive new opportunity for faith groups to welcome genuine pluralism in public institutions ñ and to demonstrate radical alternatives in an ìoften acquisitive, violent, confused and atomised societyî.

The document, ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí, is available on Ekklesiaís website. It summarises and extends arguments from the newly published book ëFaith and Politics After Christendomí.

Ekklesia challenges the popular idea that the only kinds of religion possible are either domineering ones or watered down varieties. It says that a renewal of generous faith, not its reduction, is the best way of ëredeeming religioní from within ñ and enabling it to discover a positive, though not always unthreatening, role in society.

Both the paper and the book focus their arguments on Christianity in Britain, but highlight questions and challenges for other faith communities and for humanists or those of no religious affiliation.

ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí says that angry displays of self-assertion from some religious groups (over shows like Jerry Springer The Opera) are not signs of strength, but of underlying weakness.

This is because, Ekklesia argues, Britain has seen an irreversible cultural and political shift away from ìmutually reinforcing relationship between church and governmentî in recent years. What we are now seeing is a backlash against this.

The think tank says that these new attempts by faith groups to use the state to coerce others into accepting their norms and values is wrong and counterproductive ñ for religious reasons, as well as for political ones.

Ekklesia argues that Christianity has been corrupted by its easy alliance with the status quo, that faith cannot be imposed on a reluctant majority, and that ëthe new dealí between government and religious groups on education and public services raises serious issues of integrity, justice and human rights.

ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí says that the government needs to adopt a stance of ëinterested neutralityí to matters of faith ñ instead of either privileging religion or adopting the negative form of secularity seen in France.

It argues that Christian churches and organisations, in particular, can embrace a more marginal status in society as an opportunity to rediscover the levelling message of Jesus. This approach is one of ìwitness, not controlî (demonstrating alternatives rather than seeking power for ourselves).

ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí outlines 14 areas where this is possible, including active peacemaking, hospitality towards migrants, restorative justice, involvement in anti-poverty alliances and the development of non-confrontational approaches to controversial bioethical issues.

In the same way, the think tank argues that to free up faith and encourage a genuine level-playing-field in public life the time has come to scrap blasphemy laws, to end the establishment of the Church of England, and to stop using religious affiliation as a means of selection in state schools.

Comments Ekklesia co-director Simon Barrow, who wrote the discussion paper: ìPoliticians cannot ignore religion, and faith cannot be shut away from public life. So what we need is radical new thinking about religion and politics, both by government and all those who want alternatives to ëtoxic religioní which tries to justify violence and domination in the name of God.î

Further reading: Redeeming Religion in the Public Square 24 July 2006. A ground-breaking approach to faith and politics from Ekklesia; Faith And Politics After Christendom: The Church As A Movement for Anarchy by Jonathan Bartley (Paternoster Press, 2006); Change faith versus politics standoff, says Christian think tank; God and the politicians: a response to David Aaronovitch’s BBC2 documentary; Subverting the manifestos: A Christian agenda for change (UK general election 2005).

Also a news service, Ekklesia advocates progressive Christian ideas in public life, runs the ISP www.peacenik.co.uk, is a partner in the Westminster Forum, explores the intersection of theology and politics, and last year raised £130,000 for peace and justice causes.


Christian think tank says government should stop propping up religion

-25/07/06

A UK think tank has said that the present situation where churches seek government support in areas like education, and government uses faith groups to prop up its own social agenda, is unhealthy for all concerned.

In a new discussion paper for both religious and secular opinion formers, Ekklesia argues that the demise of ëChristendomí in the West creates a positive new opportunity for faith groups to welcome genuine pluralism in public institutions ñ and to demonstrate radical alternatives in an ìoften acquisitive, violent, confused and atomised societyî.

The document, ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí, is available on Ekklesiaís website. It summarises and extends arguments from the newly published book ëFaith and Politics After Christendomí.

Ekklesia challenges the popular idea that the only kinds of religion possible are either domineering ones or watered down varieties. It says that a renewal of generous faith, not its reduction, is the best way of ëredeeming religioní from within ñ and enabling it to discover a positive, though not always unthreatening, role in society.

Both the paper and the book focus their arguments on Christianity in Britain, but highlight questions and challenges for other faith communities and for humanists or those of no religious affiliation.

ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí says that angry displays of self-assertion from some religious groups (over shows like Jerry Springer The Opera) are not signs of strength, but of underlying weakness.

This is because, Ekklesia argues, Britain has seen an irreversible cultural and political shift away from ìmutually reinforcing relationship between church and governmentî in recent years. What we are now seeing is a backlash against this.

The think tank says that these new attempts by faith groups to use the state to coerce others into accepting their norms and values is wrong and counterproductive ñ for religious reasons, as well as for political ones.

Ekklesia argues that Christianity has been corrupted by its easy alliance with the status quo, that faith cannot be imposed on a reluctant majority, and that ëthe new dealí between government and religious groups on education and public services raises serious issues of integrity, justice and human rights.

ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí says that the government needs to adopt a stance of ëinterested neutralityí to matters of faith ñ instead of either privileging religion or adopting the negative form of secularity seen in France.

It argues that Christian churches and organisations, in particular, can embrace a more marginal status in society as an opportunity to rediscover the levelling message of Jesus. This approach is one of ìwitness, not controlî (demonstrating alternatives rather than seeking power for ourselves).

ëRedeeming Religion in the Public Squareí outlines 14 areas where this is possible, including active peacemaking, hospitality towards migrants, restorative justice, involvement in anti-poverty alliances and the development of non-confrontational approaches to controversial bioethical issues.

In the same way, the think tank argues that to free up faith and encourage a genuine level-playing-field in public life the time has come to scrap blasphemy laws, to end the establishment of the Church of England, and to stop using religious affiliation as a means of selection in state schools.

Comments Ekklesia co-director Simon Barrow, who wrote the discussion paper: ìPoliticians cannot ignore religion, and faith cannot be shut away from public life. So what we need is radical new thinking about religion and politics, both by government and all those who want alternatives to ëtoxic religioní which tries to justify violence and domination in the name of God.î

Further reading: Redeeming Religion in the Public Square 24 July 2006. A ground-breaking approach to faith and politics from Ekklesia; Faith And Politics After Christendom: The Church As A Movement for Anarchy by Jonathan Bartley (Paternoster Press, 2006); Change faith versus politics standoff, says Christian think tank; God and the politicians: a response to David Aaronovitch’s BBC2 documentary; Subverting the manifestos: A Christian agenda for change (UK general election 2005).

Also a news service, Ekklesia advocates progressive Christian ideas in public life, runs the ISP www.peacenik.co.uk, is a partner in the Westminster Forum, explores the intersection of theology and politics, and last year raised £130,000 for peace and justice causes.