A CHRISTIAN CONTRIBUTION to A DIFFICULT PROBLEM

There was considerable media comment on the U.K. city riots at the week-end, largely focussed on what caused them, and what can be done to prevent them. It’s important that discussions on these questions continue, preferably out of the media and in a non-partisan, non-prejudiced co-operative spirit. There’s a huge amount to be learned, and no simple answers.


I was heartened by the fact that in some articles there seemed to be a readiness to come away from previous polarised positions and accept the complexity of the situation. The classic socialist view has always been that the real problem is the economic disenfranchisement of an underclass of people (something which globalisation has aggravated in our generation). We have a sink of unskilled, unemployed, frustrated younger people, who are battered by an advertising, “life style” media telling them they must have this and must have that, when their pockets are simply unable to fund them. That is socially explosive. Traditionally the answer has been thought to lie in government policy of redistribution of income toward the poor. While this viewpoint contains an important truth, it is more and more seen as not being whole truth.


The more conservative view has, on the other hand, tended to see the issue as fundamentally a moral issue – a breakdown in family, a loss of basic moral, social values, a degeneration of humanity for which moral input and strong control is essential. Again, happily, its proponents, some at least, have begun to see that though this is important, it is, again, not the whole truth. There is a realisation that people ghettoed into high rise blocks from which there is little escape, being fed a daily diet of violent behaviour and pornography by the media, constantly living financially on the edge, are going to develop a “fight for survival”, “grab what you can” amoral culture that burns angrily all the ime and passes from one generation to another.


The Christian church is by no means “flavour of the month” in such modern discussions – indeed Christian morality is a bit of a “red rag” to the social thinking bull. That should not put us off. The Christian church has a huge contribution to make to the problem. Its history is full of testimony and examples of such contributions. That history is not so much one of social ideas pedalled at government and political level, (though the career of Lord Shaftsbury, for example, demonstrates it has had high level legislative impact), but one of “on the ground”, direct, personal and practical involvement in these socially deprived areas. At the end of the day legislation does not produce culture change though it may help; direct personal involvement has proved itself much more effective in bringing about culture change.


My mind turned to such figures as F. B. Meyer, a 19th century prince of preachers who had his church in Leicester in a down town area, but alongside his church also had a factory where he provided employment for men making sticks of firewood. He directed other activities which were geared to producing a sense of self-worth. Victorian society was full of deprived areas, and a great many Christian workers dedicated themselves to those areas with practical strategies. William Booth, and the Salvation Army were, of course, household names and they operated with the same combination of social relief and the preaching of moral values. It was not just famous figures, however. There were a great many clergy and other individuals, known and unknown, who took on churches, missions and relief work and considered such work as a high vocation. It's not just in the past, either! This is a calling and an opportunity that will always be open so long as such needs are with us. Thankfully it a calling to which many still make response. The need is very much there.

It is in the midst of deep social need and degradation that the church and its gospel for the poor can be seen at its best – if and when it makes direct contact with that need.

It is also so very important to remember that in the midst of deprived areas there are many people who do have moral standards and great integrity and for whom a church on the ground can be a massive support.




Bob


To make a comment: click on word “comments” below, write your comment in the white box which appears and add your name and e mail address (if you wish), choose “select profile”, click “anonymous” and then continue.