Christianity

• Government and State

  • the secularisation of the state can lead to the censorship of a different, non-religious ideology, this led to racism and communism
  • some Christians would argue that the religion that Jesus founded was one where Christians spoke from within their secular context and worked together to promote the common good and to care for those in need
• Is Christianity a major cause of personal and social problems? - accusations

  • Christianity has been the cause of warfare when it tried to gain supremacy over other traditions, eg. in the Crusades
  • Christianity rejects the advances of sciences and holds back society
  • ethical stances are outdated, eg. Catholic views on homosexuality and the acceptance of slavery
  • intolerant and limiting of freedom, eg. views on euthanasia
  • patriarchal and oppresses women
  • stops personal development, eg. encourages a belief in life after death
  • can divide families if they have differing beliefs
  • some evangelists prioritises money over preaching faith
• Is Christianity a major cause of personal and social problems? - responses

  the Church aims to do good, eg. educating the poor, food banks, and promoting the agape
• Are secularism and secularisation opportunities for Christianity?

  • with the speed of change over the last generation, it is important that Christianity is open to changing again
  • Christians argue that side-lining Christianity might lead to the religion being able to affect the lives of far fewer people
  • Christians would argue that now, more than ever, it is time for Christians to stand up for the truth revealed through Christ and the Bible and to resist this move towards change
  • the earliest Christian community saw itself as living within the secular state, not opposed to it; modern Christians might be inspired by this when thinking about their place in society
• Christianity in the state

  Christian elements of the House of Parliament (eg. starting each sitting with Christian prayers) are ritualistic only and are not necessary to the smooth running of government
• Should Christianity be a significant contributor to society's culture and values? - YES

  • Britain today would not be the country it is without Christianity
  • Our artistic heritage owes so much to Christianity, eg. architecture
  • Christian ethics on a human level are ethics that apply to all, not just Christians
• Should Christianity be a significant contributor to society's culture and values? - NO

  • Britain has developed multi-culturally since the existence of Christianity
  • there is great heritage in non-Christian artistic cultures
  • all religious voice need to be moved away from in order to move forward in society
• Christianity is the main faith in the UK

  some argue that Christianity has the 'right' to drive the agenda forward both in government and legislation as it is the majority faith in the UK
• Should Christian theology engage with atheist secular ideologies? - NO

  • some Christians would argue that Christian theology should keep away from atheist ideologies
  • there is a direct contradiction between a fundamental aspect of Church teaching and a key element of Marxism, there is some suspicion about a worldwide view that begins with a rejection of God and religion as one of the key tools of oppression
  • The Church should be prepared to remain distinctive and not try to assimilate with such beliefs because it would suggest that truth can be found outside the revelation of Jesus and the Bible
  • the Bible contains all that is required to live life and no outside discussion is necessary
• Should Christian theology engage with atheist secular ideologies? - YES

  • Christians who take a natural theology approach might say that reason can be accurate outside the Church
  • it is right for Christianity to engage with other ideologies, even if only to use them as tools to help its own reflection