It's been almost 3 years since my last post. That's a long time.
I've just participated in a seminar discussing the economics of European Union Social Policy. It was when someone mentioned the differences in Social Policy across EU nations that my mind started to drift. Don't worry, I quickly restrained myself from losing complete concentration; however, after the seminar, my thoughts returned to the disparity in social agendas among EU member states.
In the seminar we discussed how Mediterranean countries focus on the church and family for welfare and social support; this is what got me thinking: there was a time when the UK focussed on the church and family for welfare and social support. It was on Christian principles and Church values that a welfare state was founded; however, over time, as the state has grown, it has taken on consistently more of the church's role. The state now provides for the poor, it has developed a judicial system, it enforces living and working standards, it provides support for dysfunctional families, and more recently, it carries out marriages/civil ceremonies. Moreover, in assuming the church's role, the state has morphed it into a socially acceptable and "politically correct" state; for example the Weston Mercury have just tweeted the news of a "Recruitment drive to find more gay adopters". So what is there left for the church to do? Should the church be managing its own decline?
There is one role the state has chosen not to adopt from the church, and that is the profession of Jesus as Lord and Saviour. The state does not offer God, Jesus or Love. So there is still something the church can put its efforts into, and I can say that I've witnessed this happen more evidently. The church is moving its balance from a greater focus on family and community to a greater focus on professing God's grace and mercy, Jesus as Saviour, and life beyond the social norm. That's what I perceive the Alpha movement being all about. How many of those churchgoers reading this actually attend church with their family?
That's not to say the church ignores the importance of family and community, the church still fulfils its original role by incorporating such values into its new age primary objective of making the gospel known.
This isn't a criticism of such a change; the church has had to change in response to the state's attempt to take on a worshipful role. The church has adapted as the wealthy welfare state have provided more and more.
There is a new issue now. The fat welfare state is no longer fat, but instead it is debt ridden and making significant cuts to operations. Over the last half a decade, St Paul's Church, Weston-super-Mare, have seen significant growth in the area of welfare it provides. Where the state is unable to provide for the rising welfare issues this economy faces, the church is there to fill the gap and do what it does best.
I doubt the church will provide gay adoption services, but it can create jobs for the unemployed, it can offer financial and living support, it can offer love and community, it can offer skills and knowledge training, it can offer business advice and support. The church is massive with a presence in almost every single community in the UK. The church takes it personally. The state can't trump that. Is it time for the church to rebalance its focus, to compliment the gospel with more welfare provision?
For me there are three types of churches; those which never adapted to the new role of explicitly proclaiming the gospel; those which adapted so radically that all they do is focus on clobbering individuals with the gospel; and those who have a healthy balance of both and are able to be continuously flexible with the needs of society.
I believe that an active church can change the UK's social agenda and resume a greater role in society. The question is whether it wants to, or even, whether it needs to?
