| May 2008 |
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A new 'defender of faiths'?
Dear Friends
Extremism. Irrelevance. The twin evils set to destroy the public image of religion worldwide. The first fuelled by minority elements amongst people of faith, and the second foisted upon religion by a majority of those of no faith, dismissing it as outmoded superstition. Into the breach steps Tony Blair – as our newly appointed ‘defender of the faiths’. The former Prime Minister has set up a Faith Foundation whose goal is not just the nurture of harmony amongst different faiths and the eradication of extremism, but also the enlightenment of secular western society in regard to its debt to faith, past and present.
Naturally, Mr Blair is being reminded at every press conference that in the not so distant past he didn’t “do God.” But, despite tricky questions about syncretism and his belief in the supremacy of Christ, so far Tony’s attempts at conducting a cosmetic makeover of public faith have been met with much enthusiasm. And not without good cause – in his speech on faith and globalisation at Westminster Cathedral recently he outlined exactly why society should ‘do God’: “Religious faith is a good thing in itself, that so far from being a reactionary force, it has a major part to play in shaping the values which guide the modern world, and can be a force for progress.” And to that end another of the priorities of his foundation will be to encourage faith groups to help the UN meet its Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.
Although Tony and his advisors – most notably Alistair Campbell – seemed to want to downplay the significance of his religious beliefs when in office, it has now become abundantly clear that faith is at the centre of Blair’s motivation. As he admitted in his speech, when asked if religion is important to his career:
“It’s like asking someone whether their health is important to them or their family. If you are someone ‘of faith’ it is the focal point of belief in your life. There is no conceivable way that it wouldn’t affect your politics.”
Whatever your political persuasion, I think Tony Blair’s initiative is to be welcomed, if only because it reminds us of our history. In the middle of the 18th century, the state of society – and indeed the Church of England – was far, far worse than it is today. Yet by the middle of the 19th century all that had changed. The cause? The tireless efforts of William Wilberforce and many others motivated by their faith as a result of the Evangelical Revival. Indeed it has been estimated that three quarters of charities and societies set up to work for a better society and ameliorate the situation of the times were of Evangelical foundation.
Blair has got this right – it is faith that makes the difference.
with every blessing
Philip de Grey-Warter
Other letters:
 May 2008: A new 'defender of faiths'?
April 2008: The Credit Crunch
February 2008: Life in 3-D
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