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CARE's fringe event at the
Conservative Party Conference.
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Conference season has finally finished and
as the residents of Bournemouth and Blackpool have cleared the streets,
bars and restaurants so we can afford to take some time to sit back
and consider again the nature of our (that is Christian) involvement
in politics.
One first reflection is to reinforce the point that it is remains
as essential as ever. Martin Turner's example of the Lib Dem motion
on 'the Regulation of Pornography' (for 'regulation of' read 'the
liberalisation of laws on') is one example, Gary Streeter's book,
There is Such a Thing as Society, another and the Christian Socialist
Movement continues to show that the role of faith in politics is
not simply one for the political right - Jesus Christ has as much
to say to Tony Blair as he does to Iain Duncan Smith.
Struggles for ideological control of each of the parties are perennial
and recurrent; Christians should never make the assumption that
any of the political parties are ever 'in the bag'. For instance,
the Conservative party is committed to 'modernising itself' over
the next few years but there are real questions to answer as to
what form that modernisation will take. Will it be a move away from
hard faced economics toward policies orientated around the vulnerable
in society? Or will it be a hollowing out of political values and
an adoption of the libertarian ethic of political convenience. These
issues are undeniably reflected in other parties and institutions
Secondly, I want pose a counter-factual. How would the landscapes
of politics differ if Christians had chosen to quit the field of
political conflict? Critics within the church today, like the Anabaptists
of centuries past, would say that nothing of value can be achieved.
CARE ran a fringe meeting in Bournemouth
as part of the EA's FACEVALUES campaign - the debate was on 'forgiveness
in an unforgiving world'. Local Christians were invited to attend.
One man asked a question at the end - the real change (and real
forgiveness) will come, he said, when the Gospel changes peoples'
hearts. So what's the point of getting involved in politics? Shouldn't
a Christian's time be more fruitfully spent on evangelism?
The question contrasted starkly with the contributions of our speakers.
James Mawdsley, a former prisoner of the dictatorial regime in Burma,
had spoken of the need to break the cycle of violence in Israel
and Bob Holman, a resident of the Easterhouse estate in Glasgow,
related to us some of the destructive consequences of attritional
gang violence. It struck me that something of value can be achieved
- and that, very often, it is only Christian that can achieve it.
Who knows more about grace and forgiveness than the Christian? Who
will bring these concepts to society if we do not?
So what's the message, and how does it relate to the political parties?
Well, you can sit on the sidelines complaining ('being prophetic',
as some in the Church are wont to call it), or you can acknowledge
that you have something of value to bring to political debate. It
is, of course, up to you. But if you are interested, please visit
www.changeactivist.org.uk
and find out a little more.
Paul Bickley
Westminster Parliamentary Officer CARE
Paul.bickley@care.org.uk
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