Faith! Private or public?

AS a Christian minister I am regularly encouraged by people of faith, whatever their faith, to speak more confidently about public issues.

However, on the other hand, I am regularly encouraged by some people who have no faith to shut up because, they say, faith is entirely a private matter and has nothing to do with how society functions.

I wonder where you stand?

Many clergy have spent endless sermon attempting to explain how the Bible speaks into the values and politics (with a small ‘p’) of the time in which they live, and how the reader of the Bible is therefore encouraged to think through and apply themselves and scripture to the value and politics of our time.

Most, if not all, of the big issues of our day have a faith perspective on them – think climate change (the Bible is clear about God’s direction to humanity to care for the earth), or the cost of living (Jesus is very clear about the priority of looking after the poor and vulnerable) to name but two.

Christianity has provided the framework for so much of our society – how we educate our children and look after the ill in hospitals, and much of our legal structure.

And many other faiths will have their own contribution to make on issues facing us as a world.

So, I cannot stay quiet on the issues of my life. Mine is not a private faith, for me alone. It is one that asks of me to be clear about where I stand, given my understanding of how I know God through Jesus Christ.

The world will be a better place if we can publicly engage with one another on the issues of life, but that will require us to be tolerant of differences … and learn to love one another more.

Mike Smith, Rector of Caversham, Thameside and Mapledurham writing on behalf of Churches Together in Reading