The keynote speaker at the conference I have been attending this week was The Attorney General, the Rt Hon the Baroness Scotland QC who spoke on the importance of faith in the public space. She was clear and positive about the role individuals and faith groups have to play in a society in which she said “faith flourishes when respect for it is freely given by individuals and it is not just defended by public institutions.” She added that faith matters in the public space and it has the potential to make or break the modern world we live in when it is too often misunderstood to the point where it provides fertile ground for conflict and intolerance. Baroness Scotland, a Roman Catholic, shared how she has worn her cross every day of her adult life and often prays when on the front bench as well as before taking major decisions. Inspired by the vision of President Obama she that with faith inspired idealism it is a case of, “Yes we can and yes we must- the cultivation of respectful, positive relationships between the faith communities is vital. It is important that people gather around a common purpose for a concrete outcome.”
She slammed religious extremism as diminishing God. “He is not a God of one group but God of all and faith is not an optional extra. It goes right through you and is reflected in everything you do and aspire to achieve.” It’s hard to imagine the Christian faith having a better and more well-placed advocate in politics and the public space than Patricia Scotland.
The Times Newspaper recentlycarried an interesting piece from former hostage and special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury on the importance of Independent MPs at Westminster. Terry says about recent events; ” As spectator sports go I have to confess to mixed feelings. I take little delight in seeing anyone publicly injured and humiliated. But along with the vast majority of the population, I am amused and angry. Amused at the ducks, the moat, horse manure, dry rot and phantom mortgages. Angry that, as Jonathan Aitken (who ought to know about these matters) said on the Today programme, compliance has replaced conscience. The truth is that the gunpowder has been accumulating for a very long time. Increasingly a professional class of politician has grown and the more professional they have become, the more remote they are.” 
For the past few weeks our trust in politicians has been rocked by daily revelations about over-claiming expenses or second and even third home allowances. A profession that has been for too long merely tolerated by the people rather than truly loved or trusted now finds it’s reputation at rock bottom.
It’s one hundred days today since January 20th when Barack Obama was inaugurated as the world’s most powerful man-the President of the United States of America. Millions of words will be written today assessing how well he has done at this most inconsequential of milestones after just three months. He seems to have been a busy man ,although is still short of delivering his promises in relation to troop withdrawals,widening opportunity and social mobility for millions of Americans. What have we come to know of President Obama in this time? On BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, the Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones, shares with us something of how Obama’s faith was formed as the young Chicago community organiser sat in Trinity Church. At that time Obama was surrounded by ordinary people rather than sharp suited advisers and media handlers. he worked out his theology amongst a congregation of aspirational African-Americans as a “reluctant sceptic”. Obama writes about that time: “the churches are the only game in town…That’s where the people are, and that’s where the values are, even if they are buried under a lot of bullshit.”
In Holy Week, I had intended that this blog would simply carry reflective observations of the stations of the cross, and, on Friday, the last words of Jesus from the cross. Alas, when I saw a report that the British National Party (BNP) has used an image of Jesus and a scripture from John 15:20 “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”on its latest poster for the June European elections , I just had to share something with you. The poster goes on to say What would Jesus do? Vote BNP. Now, by any standards it is quite a leap to suggest that because Jesus warned his supporters about persecution, then he would put his cross against the BNP candidate in the forthcoming Euro elections. The poster makes for an interesting talking point about just how far people will go to legitimise their views by associating themselves with Jesus. If we believe everything we read Jesus is both anti- and pro homosexuals ; anti and pro-women priests; anti- and pro-social welfare; anti and pro-bankers; added to this list is now the suggestion that as Jesus was committed to freedom and against persecution he must be for a right-wing extremist party just because it finds itself condemned by mainstream political opinion. Perhaps the real truth of this incident is a warning against those of us wearing wristbands and T-shirts bearing the slogan WWJD? and claiming sincere exclusivity about what that slogan means. The truth us that as we all have our own agendas we want to shoehorn them into Christological legitimacy by claiming Jesus’ support for our world view. Jesus is the saviour of all humankind, whatever their world view and a saviour of surprises, but the claim of the BNP that Jesus would support them because they are concerned with protecting, as they see it, Britain’s Christian heritage and Christian values may surpise even Christ. The poster has been condemned by various church groups and in West Yorkshire the Ecumenical Council has mounted a counter campaign with the slogan- “Use your cross- Vote for hope in Yorkshire” to mobilise voters to keep out the BNP saying; ” The Christian vision of society is one where each person is treated with dignity and respect, whatever their face or religion. It is a vision of hope.” Christ’s message was indeed one of hope, love, inclusion and justice. Jesus suggested that loving God and our neighbours as ourselves was central to his outlook on how we should live our lives if we were serious about bringing in his kingdom, so let’s check these things out in the BNP manifesto for the Euro elections. Let’s see if rather than touting for more crosses on a ballot paper, BNP candidates are prepared to truly take on board what it means to take up the cross of Christ and follow him.
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