Statement from the Bishop of Carlisle clarifying remarks about the Government

While I was at General Synod I attended the launch of a new book which argued a cogent case for a traditional Christian understanding of marriage and sexual relationships  When I was invited to comment I agreed with the speaker that although the current situation in our society is serious, Christian faith gives us a strong hope that good and right will prevail. 

While people are of course free to make choices, at the heart of the problem is the fact that our society is institutionalising these changes in marriage and sexual morality with legislation.  In a meeting where almost all of those attending look to the Bible for moral teaching, I reminded those present of the difference attitude towards the Roman state between the Letter to the Romans and the Book of Revelation. 

By way of clarification I would want to say that the Government has certainly been “God’s instrument for good” (Romans 13), for example in the promotion of the equality and in social inclusion, in its support for poorer nations and its emphasis on the environment.  However in the last year or two it has been imposing its own moral agenda in a way that is contrary to long standing Christian morality and the significant voice of Christian churches. 

Very recently in the House of Lords debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Bill it ignored the voice of the Archbishop of York and several other Bishops calling for the legislation to maintain the need for both a male and female parent in a home suitable to receive a child placed for adoption.

This Government has also insisted that Catholic Adoption Agencies must place children with same sex couples, which the teaching of the Church does not allow them to do.

The underlying point is that I and many others are critical of the Government’s promotion of legislation about the structure of society and about lifestyles which has as its moral basis only that choice and complete licence are good.  Many religious people and many others would feel that there are better alternative moral foundations.  Further, when the Government speaks and acts as if the only possible moral basis is that which it promotes, it is acting as if it is god.  Hence the terms of my criticism of it.

What I would like is for the Christian point of view to be taken more seriously, not as imposing Christianity on those who are not Christian, but because it is the best way for humans to live together.



Note
In Romans chapter 13 St Paul speaks of the state as God’s instrument for good.  25 years later in Revelation chapter 13 the state is requiring that all citizens worship Caesar and now is persecuting Christians to death.  It is using its power to restrict trade only to those who obey its morality and it is now described metaphorically in Revelation as a beast.