Bishops Letter - March 07 +Graham

Is the Government God?

Over the past few weeks we have seen an unprecedented step taken by the government against the churches and in particular the Roman Catholic Church. In spite of the fact that there are many adoption agencies open to gay couples, the government has chosen legally to force the Roman Catholic adoption agencies either to close or to accept the government’s moral stance on the issue.

It has done this in the full knowledge that the moral teaching of the Roman Catholic Church makes it completely unable to accept such adoptions. Not only are there a great many Christians from other churches who agree with the Roman Catholic Church over the matter, but also there will be many from other faiths who are not able to subscribe to the government’s moral position.

In full support of the Roman Catholic Church’s position, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote to the Prime Minister saying, ‘the rights of conscience cannot be made subject to legislation, however well-meaning.’ They drew a comparison with doctors working for the NHS who can opt out of performing abortions if it goes against their conscience. But government, it seems, is no longer willing to grant such exemptions.

The danger of such an approach is further highlighted by the Archbishops when they wrote, ‘Many in the voluntary sector are dedicated to public service because of the dictates of their conscience. In legislating to promote the rights of particular groups the Government is faced with the delicate but important challenge of not thereby creating conditions in which others feel their rights to have been ignored or sacrificed or in which the dictates of personal conscience are put at risk.’ The letter also argues that a climate could be created in which it is argued that members of the Government are not fit to hold public office on the grounds of their faith affiliation.

The government’s position is all the more paradoxical in view of the fact that in most areas it advocates choice as the ultimate value. However on the issue of sexuality, the choice is entirely one way. For example, the consciences of those with Christian faith who offer bed and breakfast are similarly affected by the proposed legislation.

The issue is of the utmost seriousness, but not primarily because of the issue itself, which is well-known to be controversial. What is far more serious is that the government has chosen to take the role of God in deciding itself what is right and wrong in the face of widespread religious conviction and then enforcing this with law. The Archbishops are certainly right to challenge this.

I believe that it is important that we perceive where the root cause for such government action lies. It follows from the clear trend within our society to disregard God. Once God is removed from the scene, where ultimate moral authority should be located there is then a vacuum. Not surprisingly, the vacuum is then filled, frequently by an institution, in this case by the government.

This case will be among the first of many. Sadly, if the trend to ignore God persists, we will find many other situations where an institution takes to itself the role of ultimate moral authority and endeavours to enforce its moral judgement with law or rules, be it on a national scale or simply in the institution itself.

+Graham Dow