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Contribution of faith communities requires greater recognition say ippr

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08 December 2008

Religion and faith communities play an important role in the cultural and social fabric of the UK but public authorities need to do more to improve their understanding of the contribution they make argues a new publication released today (Monday 8th December) by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).

Publishing a unique collection of essays from leading figures of the five largest faith communities in the UK, ippr argues that religion and faith play an increasingly important role in British society. The publication explores the views of faith leaders towards British identity, integration and multiculturalism, religious extremism and the position of religion in the public realm.

The collection finds that although faith-based social activism and voluntary work deliver significant social benefits, their contribution is too often viewed with suspicion and hostility by some strands of secular opinion. ippr argues that greater faith literacy among public authorities is needed if Britain is to harness the significant contribution that faith-communities can make to the social, economic and cultural life of Britain.

ippr argues that recognising and valuing the role of religion in British society needs to be balanced against a recognition of the core principles of British democracy - the equality of all before the law, the possession of citizenship rights irrespective of race, religion, gender and sexuality, and the rights of non-believers. The collection shows that British culture has provided a receptive home for members of different religious communities. Its underlying values of equal respect, pluralism and tolerance have made the UK a successful example of a multi-faith society.

‘Faith in the Nation: religion, identity and the public realm in Britain today’, includes a foreword from the Prime Minister Gordon Brown MP and essays from:

Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster
Sir Johnathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi
Dilwar Hussain, Islamic Foundation
Ramesh Kallidai, Secretary General, Hindu Forum of Britain
Dr Indarjit Singh OBE, Director, Network of Sikh Organisations

In their essays, the faith leaders agree that Britishness and faith identity can be mutually reinforcing, and offer some sharp criticisms of patterns of cultural segregation.

A selection of quotes is from each of the essays is included in the Notes to Editors.

Writing the foreword, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, says:

“Britain, of course, has a strong Christian tradition, but the landscape of our country today is resolutely multi-faith. Religious leaders writing here… raise some important questions about what the relationship between faith communities and the state should look like in a multi-faith society…… How can we recognise and value the role of religion in British society without compromising the essential equalities that lie at the heart of the secular state?

“These questions and many others are explored in the pages of this groundbreaking publication – the first of its kind to bring faith leaders together to reflect on the kind of society that, as a nation, we aspire to build. Their answers today are not always the same, but one message comes across clearly and consistently: that religious belief will continue to be an important component of our shared British identity as it evolves and that British society can and does draw strength from its diverse faith communities.”

Although different ideas and views are explored and expressed by the faith leaders in their essays, some notable common themes emerge. Specifically, the belief that despite some struggles to be accepted, their faiths have become part of the fabric of Britain and that their communities have made important contributions to British society. Each of them points to ways in which their religions have been shaped by their interaction with British culture and values. Dilwar Hussein from the Islamic Foundation argues strongly for an Islam that is much more tailored to the conditions of the UK.

There is also an expressed shared view among some of the faith leaders to retain the Church of England as the established Church and a welcome for the steps that have been taken to promote the interests of different faiths through Establishment.

The contributors also identify some common challenges, specifically, the need for a policy to move beyond a static and segregated notion of multiculturalism, by articulating a stronger common sense of British identity. Britishness they argue, can act as a bridge between the legitimate claims of faith identities and a common shared set of national loyalties, which are essential for promoting social solidarity and community cohesion.

The essays also uncovered a more recent sense of religious communities’ feeling of estrangement from certain aspects of contemporary Britain, such as excessively hedonistic and materialistic life-styles. They also express concern about what they perceive to be the steady secularisation of the national culture.

The co-editors of ‘Faith in the Nation’, Zaki Cooper and Guy Lodge, said:

“This publication demonstrates that faith communities make a significant contribution to British society. Faith communities will become a prominent source of comfort and help for many people during the recession. Faith-based activities, that are consistent with the core principles of British democracy, can make an important contribution to the life and cohesion of communities and provide vital sources of civic mobilisation and social campaigning.”

“Inter-faith action and dialogue may be a growth area but this is the first time that such an eminent group of faith leaders have been brought together for such a publication.”

Notes to editors:

In his essay the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, defends the position of the established Church in England and argues that the Church, through the social activism of its members and the ‘faithful capital’ this creates, plays an important role in civic life in Britain:

“The idea of ‘faithful capital’ stands as perhaps the greatest bulwark against disestablishment in providing a reminder of what the Church is doing on a daily basis. Rooted in the parish system, it flourished from a concern for people of all faiths and none and is fed by a desire to bring about the common good, in all areas of our nation … not only are faith communities in our cities physically present, they are actively, dutifully and sometimes passionately, engaged in caring and campaigning for those who need care most – sometimes people whom the wider ‘society’ has forgotten… the Government is fundamentally underestimating the number of Christian charities, the work of such charities and consequently their social, economic and civic impact and potential.”

“Any belief that the established relationship between church and state is defined solely by reference to constitutional settlements, the presence of Bishops in the Lords or through national engagement needs to be re-considered in light of the ‘faithful capital’ being employed each day by the Church in communities throughout the nation.”

“There is little doubt in my mind that a place exists for an established Church serving our nation. From Church Schools to funerals, from inter-faith work to state occasions, from speaking out for the marginalised to ministering to the sick, the Church plays a vital daily role in the operation of our nation .. I am amazed that there is so little consciousness of this rich heritage. We need to become better acquainted with this legacy, be grateful for it, rediscover it’s dynamic and build upon it. The spiritual wealth and "faithful capital" that made this country great is to be shared not only with present and future generations in the UK, but as a free gift from God to the whole of humanity.”

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, writes on the impact of secularism on religion:

“…the progressive secularisation of the cultural environment and the accompanying decline in religious practice, [means that] religious belief of any kind tends now to be treated more as a private eccentricity than as the central and formative element in British society that it is. And although the tone of public discussion is sceptical or dismissive rather than anti-religious, atheism has become more vocal and aggressive.”

“ … the intolerance of liberal sceptics can be as repressive as the intolerance of religious believers.”

“Clearly, there are serious tensions – as there should be – between Christian belief and the assumptions and practices of a secular state; and Catholics are not alone in watching with dismay as the liberal society shows signs of degenerating into the libertine society. While a questioning of authority is healthy in holding authority to account, this questioning can, at its most extreme, become rejection.”

Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi, writes on multiculturalism:

“Multiculturalism leads not to integration but to segregation. It deconstructs everything that goes into the making of a national identity: a shared culture, a canon of texts everyone is expected to know, a collective history and memory, a code of conduct and civility, and a sense of loyalty to the nation and its institutions. No society can long survive without these things.”

“Jews, like other minorities, integrated because there was something to integrate into. They did so because they respected British values... Multiculturalism … designed to make minorities feel more at home, has had the opposite effect. Britain is a less tolerant society today than it was fifty years ago…”

“The time has come for the religious groups in Britain to join in creating a covenant of the common good, a commitment to work together to promote active citizenship and a sense of shared belonging.”

Dilwar Hussain, Head of the Policy Research Centre, Islamic Foundation, argues for the development of a liberal brand of Islam that is tailored to British conditions.

“Much could be said about Britain’s foreign policy mistakes in stoking injustice, leading to anger and frustration. But to blame only such foreign affairs for terrorism is not nearly enough. Muslims did not challenge strongly enough the preachers of hate and the peddlers of simplistic, yet nihilistic, solutions that were able to tap into that anger and frustration. Nor did they create adequate religious institutions or leadership that could connect with young people and educate them in an idiom they would understand, something that could have protected them when challenged by extremists’ discourse. If we can learn such lessons and move on, perhaps things can be different.”

“Evolution of a new contextual theology of Islam that is rooted in Muslim sources and tradition, but is read and expressed to deal with the challenges of the new contexts that Muslims face. Among these challenges a key issue is to resolve the inequalities in gender relations found in some misogynistic Muslim cultures. Furthermore, for a religion that developed much of its worldview and theology in a context of being the majority there is a need now to develop ideas around diasporic and minority status, particularly in the context of living in a plural, secular space. Can Islam develop a British flavour? I would ague that it can and must.”

Ramesh Kallidai, Secretary General, Hindu Forum of Britain also addresses the nature of Britishness and integration and its role in providing a framework for the integration of ethnic and religious minorities:

“Britishness is an accepted way of life for most Hindus, especially since two-thirds of the community are British-born and identify themselves as British. The religious ethos in Hinduism fosters loyalty to the country of one's birth and residence almost as a religious obligation……..The Government needs to be cautious against the rolling out of public policy that can lead to segregation in the name of diversity, equality and cultural integration.”

Dr Indarjit Singh OBE, Director, Network of Sikh Organisations writes:

“Sikhs believe we should be relaxed about different cultures existing side by side, providing this is not done in a spirit of exclusivity or superiority. We can all learn a lot from one another in a way that enhances our own way of life. There is, however, a very real danger of some people magnifying and exploiting superficial difference into something much more sinister. We should all be aware that ignorance leads naturally to prejudice, and prejudice can lead to hatred and violence.”

In conclusion, Professor Michael Kenny, Head of Social Policy for ippr, says of the essays:

“On the one hand, we have their personal testimonies and considerable additional evidence to suggest that most members of religious groups do not feel that they are on the whole subject to unfair or arbitrary discrimination because of their beliefs or background.”

“On the other, there are indications that faith communities feel that increasingly estranged from aspects of British culture. The reasons for this perception vary importantly between different communities. For many Muslims worries about being framed as inveterate opponents of Western values and as potential security threats are paramount. For many Hindus and Sikhs, discomfort arises from a perception that their particular needs have been overlooked by the current focus on Islam, yet issues of socio-economic disadvantage and occasional cultural intolerance remain central for them…. Within the Church of England tensions between a growing evangelical current and an established liberal tradition are playing out over touchstone issues such as the ordination of gay members of the clergy, and are affected by wider debates in the international Anglican community.”

“These differences aside, there are also signs of a converging sense across these communities that the position of faith within the national public culture has become more marginal.”

“This sense of estrangement is a growing concern not just for faith leaders: it has begun to move on to the agenda of policymakers and social commentators.”

For more information, please contact Kelly O’Sullivan on 020 7470 6125 or 07753 719 289