The High Court’s decision
last week regarding the holding of prayers in council meetings has been widely
reported and by now widely blogged about also. It was not surprising to see
some of the knee-jerk reactions by conservative church groups – former
Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey included. This reaction is indicative of
the collective nervous breakdown being suffered on some wings of the church in
this post-Christendom age.
Privileges removed
Rather than react, however,
would it not be better if we tried to read the ‘signs of the times’? What does
Justice Ouseley’s decision actually mean? It means that privileges enjoyed by
the Christian faith in modern Britain are rapidly being taken away from us.
This is partly what we mean when we use the term ‘post-Christendom’. The
privileged position the church used to enjoy is no longer available in so many
ways. But this is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it was the privileges that
were not good. They stemmed from the corrupting influence of imperial power and
their disappearance is wholly beneficial for the church. Losing the position of
master and being offered the position of servant is a sign that God is at work
in restoring his church.
Anglesey Council
But allow me to respond to
Bideford Council’s case in a very parochial way. Here on Anglesey we have a
county council that has failed so badly on a political level that last year the
Welsh Government sent in commissioners to run the authority, taking power away
from elected councillors. The breakdown of trust between councillors and each
other and between councillors and senior officers had created such a poisonous
atmosphere important strategic decisions were being left unmade. Though
services are well run by officials, this is despite the politicians not because
of them. That the government felt that the only thing to do was to send in
unelected commissioners is an indication of how bad things had got over many
years.
Yet just like Bideford, at
the start of each full council meeting prayers were offered at Anglesey
Council. And immediately afterwards the petty bickering and squabbling would
begin. What a great witness that was. Who knows, without the prayers things
might have been worse, but this, surely, is an example why state and religion
should be kept firmly apart.
