The motivation for this entry came whilst hearing a news report. I picked up that the Prime Minister David Cameron suggested that the deep problems in this country can be resolved by instilling morals and manners.
Context is a wonderful thing and there have been those who do not think the Broken Britain mantra that Cameron is parading reflects reality at the street level. In as much as you want to believe some involved in politics act from heartfelt conviction, there is that area that sees politicians using various twist on current events for political capital. For example when Blair swept into office in 1997 he did so on a wave of optimism that ‘things could only get better’. His success was the presentation that things were improving under New Labour and commitments made were being kept. Of course then other events overtook them. War, financial crisis and a sense that things were getting worse led to their defeat in the 2010 General Election. Now the current government have mileage as long as they get the electorate to believe that things are bad and will take time to recover and they can be trusted to make the necessary tough decisions.
There will be those whose ears will prick up at the answer being manners and morals. Some maybe of ‘the old school’ who have ever fading memories of ‘what made this country great’. It is fair to say that there was a liberalising effect on the country that coincided with the country recovering from the effects of the Second World War. Traditional authorities were questioned and exposed more than before, the status quo was challenged and the class system was seen in a new light. ‘Old School’ reps would say that with all the social and cultural upheavals some of those basic decency issues that were apparently the bedrock of the country were loosened, so no wonder all these riots taking place.
If you follow that narrative the solutions Cameron offers makes sense. Anyway, I’m a Christian, right? I am all about the morals, right? Bring back the days of yea and nay, right? Wrong.
Socially and culturally our narratives are not as clear cut as some would want us to believe. Were the same values that made Britain great the ones that left people repressed, went abroad and oppressed cultures under the name of empire and spread a version of Christianity that was inextricably linked to power and control?
I do not subscribe to a ‘golden era’ view of history. I’ve got the power of nostalgia deal – my younger days can appear to be better than the hardships I face today. The reality I am sure is very different. Likewise I believe we forget the seeds forthe present harvest of distress was sown in all our yesterdays.
The actual solution to current problems is immensely radical and controversial. Confess publicly not ‘departing’ from The Way, but even suggesting that we may have got it wrong in the first place. Acknowledge a need to embrace grace, what the gospel requires is seeing our perpetual position in humility – we are nothing without God and with Him we are all we need to develop relationships, nurture families, cultivate communities and thus experience social life not based on the pursuit of power but building peace with each other.
That would cause a huge shift in public policy. That would see an end to politics as we know it. Quite a lot of life would be different, because this is what repentance looks like.
Calling for morals and manners misses the point. It is a plaster on a gaping wound. It does not address the core human issues. Maybe we never will address them. Not until Jesus comes in the end. That does not stop us from expressing this out of love for Him. It does make us aware of the failings of man-made solutions to fundamental issues.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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