Faith and politics: Conflict,confusion and co-operation.
| Author | Beer, Stephen |
| Position | Essays - Essay |
As I write, hundreds of fellow citizens are plotting to kill me. So might George Orwell have begun 'England Your England' if he was writing in the Britain of 2007 rather than during the Blitz (Orwell, 1941).(1) According to comments from security service reports there are around 200 potential terrorist plots by Islam aligned fundamentalists, which are being tracked (Barnett, 2007). Faith appears to be the source of much violence, discord and anxiety. As in 1941, we are asking what sort of society we want to defend.(2)
Faith and politics appear to be in conflict and the political world is often caught out by new controversies, such as a play, a TV show or a uniform policy, which stimulate protests by a faith group. Some observers are pessimistic, bemoaning the fragmentation of our society into numerous groups driven by conflicting worldviews. Some are strident, declaring that one more heave of atheism will push religion into a private box away from public life. Others look for an apparent utopia in which we have found a common ethic by which to live and have buried our differences (Kung, 1997).
What is certain is that most now realise that religion cannot be ignored. As former US Secretary of State Madeline Albright records: 'Diplomats in my era were taught not to invite trouble, and no subject seemed more inherently treacherous than religion.' At first regarding religion-influenced conflict as reflecting old world views, she concedes 'I have come to realise that it may have been I who was stuck in an earlier time' (2006).
There can be robust progressive responses to the faith and political dilemmas we face today. They focus around the principles of freedom and equality, an improved style of politics, and a warm embrace of practical action. There are challenges for faith groups but for British politicians too. Ultimately we have to improve our polity. Nevertheless, if we do not get this issue right we will have sown seeds for years of social discord.
Some recent controversies
Headscarves and veils
The right to wear a hijab has been conceded in many cases. This applies to other forms of religious dress, too, where they do not interfere with the wearer's ability to carry out his or her work. In France, controversy over schoolgirls demanding to wear hijabs to school led to the passing of a law prohibiting the wearing of overt outward forms of expression of any religion; a contrast with the more pragmatic British approach, though which has only delayed discussion of the issues raised. Confrontation did arise in the case of Aishah Azmi, a teaching assistant at a Church of England school in Dewsbury, however, over the wearing of the niqab. A tribunal in autumn 2006 found she had not been discriminated against on religious grounds, though she had not been properly treated.
The veil issue was raised for debate by the Leader of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Jack Straw MP. Writing in the Lancashire Telegraph, and in later comments, Mr Straw noted that he asks women who are wearing a veil when they arrive for a consultation at his constituency surgery to remove it so that he can see clearly to whom he is talking. He maintained he had heard no dissent when this question was asked. He further suggested that the wearing of the veil was 'a visible statement of separation and difference' ( 2006).
Crosses
At around the same time as the veil issue was being discussed, the case of Nadia Eweida received publicity. She was required by British Airways to cease wearing a small cross around her neck with her uniform. British Airways stated that they were asking her to comply with a universal uniform policy. However, that same policy permitted the wearing of headscarves or turbans as recognised symbols of religious expression. The airline found itself in the odd position of ruling out a form of religious expression linked to the majority faith of its home country. The Church of England expressed regret at the uniform policy, particularly through comments made by the archbishops of Canterbury, York and London. Other Christian faith organisations also voiced concern and there have been hints of a compromise.
Sexual orientation rights
An attempt in the House of Lords to overturn Sexual Orientation Regulations that had been applied in Northern Ireland at the beginning of 2007, in advance of UK-wide implementation of a similar set of rules later in the year, failed despite the hopes of hundreds of protesters outside parliament. The rules prevent businesses from discriminating against homosexuals and are an extension of the Equalities Act, but some Christians believe they will force them to act in ways contrary to their religious beliefs.
New student platform debates
Exeter University Christian Union sought a judicial review to attempt to overturn suspension by the university students' guild. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, submitted written evidence to the High Court supporting the Christian Union's claims.
Rights colliding
These examples highlight areas where...
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