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Pilgrim, priest and ponderer. European living in North East England. Retired parish priest, theological educator, cathedral precentor and dean.

Wednesday 20 March 2019

Our Brexit Turmoil: how will we look back on the Church's reponse?

I blogged yesterday about the Church of England's initiative to get the nation talking about Brexit next weekend. A cup of tea and a candid conversation could help heal division - that was the thrust of it. (Next Friday was due to be Brexit Day of course. It now looks as though it won't be - but we'll have to wait for Brussels' reply to Mrs May's letter asking for a short deferment to be sure.)

It was inevitable that the C of E's gentle encouragement to get us talking would be parodied. In my blog I gave it two cheers on the grounds that anything was better than nothing in the circumstances, and a lot of littles could add up to something big. This is precisely why truth and reconciliation processes have been remarkably successful: my daughter, an Africanist, has facilitated Indaba sessions ("conferences") and testifies to the life-changing effects of purposeful conversation. There is a lot to be said for discussing divisive issues such as Brexit in safe places of trust and candour.

But it needs preparation and proper facilitation to be of real value. To launch an idea like this at ten days' notice does seem not only hasty and misguided, but tepid, as if the project doesn't take itself altogether seriously. One person tweeted a response to my blog: You’re a good man and this is a gracious response, which I admire. But I’m afraid I can’t but think this CofE initiative is beyond parody. The gospel reduced to tea, platitudes and Patience Strong. Sorry. Another said: Very generous of you to offer two cheers for this idea; not sure I could raise even that. It seems very parochial and half-hearted. Still, given that if Brexit does go ahead we'll be setting the clock back to the 1950s, perhaps it's culturally appropriate.

Which brings me to the heart of what I want to say. It's St Cuthbert's Day. It's also the spring equinox. If ever a day should put a new spring (pun intended) in our step, it's today. So maybe I'm allowed to nurture a wish (or if you prefer, a prayer, a longing, a hope, a dream). It's this: that on a day when it's finally clear that Brexit has become a national, not to say European, emergency, the UK churches should put muscle into contributing positively to the debate about what kind of outcome we look for in this tortuous process, and what kind of a people we aspire to be.

It's understandable that our churches have not wanted to take sides in the Brexit debate. Like Parliament, the churches are as divided as the nation is. The other established church in these islands, the Church of Scotland, has been a conspicuous exception in long championing EU membership, as I've pointed out. It’s always made it clear however that its members personally hold a variety of views and no one is asked to endorse its public position. But I don't think I'm alone in having become dissatisfied with the studied impartiality which my own Church of England has observed at an official level. There comes a time when it is Laodicean not to make a choice - even if we must also underline strongly that Anglicans don’t all see things the same way. Diversity of view on this as on many other issues is affirmed in a broad church like ours.

So what ought we to be doing as Christian communities? To my mind, our churches should be drawing on our rich theological and spiritual resources of prophecy and wisdom to put the Brexit controversy into a larger context than nationhood alone. We should offer interpretation that begins not with the "Britain first" mentality but by asking, What might be good for our continent? What might support its poorest and most vulnerable people, including our own? What might make for reconciliation and peacemaking in our world and for the conservation and care of our environment? What might Britain with its wealth of experience bring to the family of nations? And even, What might God's perspective be on all these questions?

What will the starting point be? It's clear enough in the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament. When it comes to human life, the Bible summons us to love our neighbours as ourselves. There's no ambiguity about this. So it can only mean that the flourishing of other people should be as prominent in our concerns as our own, and by extension, the welfare of communities, not just individuals. Here's the insight that should challenge these years of self-interested rhetoric about promoting our own wealth by "taking back control".

I've always believed that "better together" expresses an ideal of society at its most wholesome. Collaboration, partnership, common purpose achieved not by coercion but by consent - no nation could survive without them, no church, no community of any kind. That's why our consent to align ourselves with the European Union and play a leading part in its life has served all our nations well in our lifetimes. But now we face the threat of fragmentation wherever we look, not least due to extremist politics that are openly contemptuous of the civilised values most of our post-war generation have grown up with in Europe.

If our churches are not one hundred percent clear about the importance of loving our neighbour, who else is going to be? I'm saying that we now need urgently to speak up for these values before it is too late. That's a matter that goes well beyond Brexit. But Brexit is itself a symptom of disintegration, the loss of belief in values that once held us together, the falling apart of an association of peoples who were all the stronger because they pooled their sovereignty and pledged to work together for the common good. I find this intellectual and spiritual collapse, which is what I largely think it is, extraordinarily sad.

These things were important to those who launched the European project in the aftermath of war. They were not all people of explicit faith, but they were deeply influenced by Catholic social teaching about how human beings flourish when they invest in healthy relationships, strong communities and a just, inclusive and equitable society. It took courage to think in that way and perseverance to put its ideals in practice. It was immensely far-sighted. I think it could be argued that it came to fruition - however slowly and fitfully - because of an understanding of humanity based not on economic or political expediency (though that comes into it) but on humane theological values of justice, peace, truth and charity, which in turn derive from the wisdom and goodness of the Creator.

Who is speaking nowadays about this founding vision? Some faith leaders aren't afraid to do this as individual men and women. They deserve our gratitude and encouragement because it is often controversial and sometimes costly. But what about our churches as public institutions? Where's the voice of urgency, the spirited engagement in what will affect the future of us all? That's where I'm left feeling despondent. Evenhandedness can be a good thing, not least when you can see different sides of a complex question. But now is a time when choices must be made. That’s when voices need to be heard that are prophetic, hopeful and wise. So much hangs on decisions made in the coming days and weeks that will irrevocably affect our lives and those of our children and grandchildren for decades to come.

Yesterday I quoted Archbishop Justin Welby. Launching the Church of England's initiative this week, he said: "A century from now the Church will be remembered for how it responded at this crucial moment in the life of our nation and country". He is right of course. We stand at a moment in history that most generations don't get to experience. At such times, destinies are forged. This brings both the privilege and responsibility of the nation’s institutions to speak publicly in ways that capture the significance of our times and interpret them with wisdom and prophetic insight.

I don't think we have fully understood that yet in the Church of England. But I reckon that if George Bell and William Temple were alive today, they would urge the church to take a robustly positive view of our membership of the EU and not regard it as a matter of indifference. They would speak out against nationalism in all its forms. They would see off the specious doctrine of British exceptionalism. They would surely say, for the sake of justice and the welfare of Europe as well as the UK, let’s give ourselves unreservedly to the life of the continent we’re part of. They would say these things with charity. But they would not hold back when it came to conviction. It would matter to them what side of history the Church of England decided to be on.

So here's my wish and my prayer on this first day of spring. Wouldn't it be marvellous if our churches  embraced the idea of a forward-looking nation, one that grasped hold of a future in which we pledged commitment to our neighbouring peoples and nations and affirmed the friendships and  alliances that have served us so well in Europe? Cuthbert saw the world as a place where everything - including human life - was connected, held together in the love of God. I passionately believe that the European Project is consistent with that life-affirming vision. Why wouldn’t the Church want to say amen?

11 comments:

  1. Thanks and Amen indeed. en indeed.

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  2. Thank you Michael for these inspiring and prophetic words. We are in urgent need of such a voice in today's world. Leadership is not about following the voice of the crowd, like Pontius Pilate, but following in The Way oneself and inspiring others to do the same, like Jesus.

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  3. You mention Catholic social teaching, Michael. It's significant that we have to look to the Roman Catholic Church for leadership and an antidote to the C of E's obsession with itself. From tomorrow's Tablet: 'The Bishops Conferences of England and Wales and Scotland are to maintain their observer statuses at Comece, the commission representing the European Union's Catholic bishops, after Brexit. The decision was announced during Comece’s recent plenary meeting in Brussels. "EU churches wish to send a clear signal that they stand for a united Europe", said the Austrian Church's Comece delegate, Bishop Egidius Zsifkovics. "Brexit is a tragic development, particularly since Europe owes so much to Britain, so it's important to all our members that British representatives continue participating in our discussions".'

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  4. "More tea Nigel?" Is hardly an adequate response to the Brexit crisis from the Established Church of the nation!
    Having insulting and blamed MPs for the current Brexit stalemate; Mrs May's third Meaningful Vote hasn't a hope in hell of being approved in the House of Commons next week. So, preparations are being made for the "No Deal" option (which has already been decisively and wisely overwhelmingly rejected by our Parliamentarians) but what preparations are being made for us to participate in the EU elections in May, or are we to be denied the opportunity to choose those we would elect to represent us in the European parliament while we are still members of the EU?

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  5. On the day where Brexit remains the headlines and over 2 million have asked for the cancellation of it, how do we move forward as a Church and a very divided nation?

    The idea that our parish in a leave majority voting area, would bring out the tea and biscuits to be neutral peace makers is I a non-starter. We have EU members in our congregation, who were hurt by the leave vote, some of whom work in vital skilled roles within the NHS and other public services. And we are in vacancy for another month, and have more pressing local concerns as we support the poor, vulnerable and deprived in our community, a large number whose position has been made worse by the benefits freeze and sanctions imposed for the smallest breach of the rules, no matter how valid and excuse or pressing issues facing claimants. Universal Credit is being implemented and increasing numbers are seeking advice and support from our local CAP Debt Advisers. Citizens advice is also very busy, needing more volunteers to train, and our Food Bank is constantly having to appeal for more donations, as they run out weekly.

    Brexit has worsened the conditions in a notionally affluent out London suburb. But we live in the middle of pockets of deprivation and homelessness, which is worsening, week by week. All, while the government fiddles, while the country burns.

    The Churches voice so muted, needs to ring out loud and clear, and often, so make it clear the damage done and continuing by the stalemate, but do our senior bishops have the courage? Perhaps a question for them to face and to respond too. But I am not holding my breath

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  6. David Richardson24 March 2019 at 09:57

    Have only just come to this, Michael, shortly after reading Justin Welby's tweet in praise of Oscar Remero: 'May his example of courage and commitment be a model for us all.' Irony doesn't even begin to describe it. Where was the Archbishop yesterday when over 1m people marched on London? May be he was in Morecambe with Jeremy Corbin? Come to think of it, they share a similar approach when it comes to this greatest crisis facing our nation. William Temple, and George Bell, David Jenkins and David Sheppard, Robert Runcie and John Habgood, pray for us for we know not what we do.

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  7. Justin Welby may have been hiding in Morecambe or wherever else he was, but there was one Church of England bishop on the march: Dr Robert Innes, the Bishop in Europe. He has spoken-up consistently for the concerns of UK citizens living on the European mainland since the June 2016 referendum. Not that you will read about it on the C of E website or newsfeed. There are good pictures on his twitter feed, though. @Bishop_Europe

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  8. Quote from John Habgood's final sermon as Abp York in Peter Sedgwick's excellent obituary in yesterday's Tablet. "An archbishop is called to do much of his work on this frontier. As part of the public faith of the Church he has unique access to the places where public policy is made. As one who holds a universal faith, he constantly has to struggle for its public validation. It can be bruising work. We frequently get it wrong. But we rely on the support, prayers and friendship of our brothers and sisters in Christ."

    In so many ways, John Habgood's retirement marks the moment when the Church of England began withdrawing from public life (and that despite the remarkable archiepiscopate of Rowan Williams). Now only silence from Lambeth and Bishopthorpe (except where sexual ethics is concerned). Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, and Karol Wojtyla pray for us, too!

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  9. Talking of The Tablet, there are two excellent pieces in tomorrow's (5 April) edition: one by Vincent Nichols on the need to shape a renewed vision of civil society; and a trenchant analysis of Brexit by the former president of Ireland, Mary McAleese, which should interest you, Michael, after your recent trip to Galway.

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  10. Michael Mulhern8 July 2019 at 13:07

    Michael, have read Justin Welby's sermon to the General Synod at York Minster, yesterday? O my goodness. Head-in-the-sand or what? Talking about the deeply riven divisions in British society: "The crisis we know we face, the crisis of which I am speaking, is not the decision to leave the European Union, this is not about Brexit."

    How can we have an intelligent conversation about Brexit with this degree of evasion?

    https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/speaking-writing/sermons/archbishop-canterburys-sermon-york-minster

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  11. Well, I consider it highly likely that the reluctance of Welby or the the C of E to enter the debate may well have to do with the votes cast by the majority of its membership in 2016. In which the divide between leadership and those they profess to lead is possibly too embarrassing to acknowledge, let alone make the subject of a scripturally based critique of the values that have created it.

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