Faith in Britain

These preceding six chapters have looked at how we might work out in practice a commitment to the six foundation principles of the Movement for Christian Democracy. These six themes - social justice, a respect for life, reconciliation, empowerment, active compassion and good stewardship - are a good framework for getting right our relationships with Creation and with each other. Together they form a Charter for Human Responsibility. The active ingredients in each have been the ideas of 'personalism' and 'communitarianism', with political success measured in terms of the effect of policies on the human personality, the family, the community, and on our relationships. It is a third way between the popular exaltation of the individual and the slavery of the State.

I have freely owned that the Christian contribution to public and political life has not always been benign; but I have also pointed to examples of great and enriching achievement.

The temptation is to stay neutral and to take no risks.

Neutrality was not the spirit which motivated Wilberforce and Shaftesbury, Gladstone and Hardie, Tawney, Schuman, Adenauer and de Gasperi. Nor has it been the spirit of Eastern Europe: of men like Alexander Ogorodnikov and Ivan Hel. Wilberforce rejected neutrality and populism with these words: 'We never ought to deviate from the paths of duty in order to procure the applause or to avoid the reproaches of men.' What is true for each of us as individuals is true for our country. We must not be neutral bystanders in the battle for Europe.

Britain's future lies in a federated Europe. Our politics must come to terms with the political realities of Europe, especially the contribution of Europe's Christian Democrats. Their record is no doubt as open to criticism as any other political party. But it is intellectually unacceptable to dismiss them or to categorise them without even attempting to understand their motivation, their history or outlook.

Christian Democracy is influential in most European governments. 35 million Western Europeans support them with their votes - and they are emerging as the non-socialist alternative in Eastern Europe.

There are also still many in Britain who care for their faith and wish to see JudaeoChristian values central to policy making and to the shaping of political priorities.

In the centenary year of the publication of Rerum Novarum and at a time when evangelicals are re-emerging as a significant force in Britain, it is the right time to be reconsidering these questions.

Christian Democracy's was the visionary spirit which founded the European Community. They are clearly going to be leading players in Europe's future development. Britain will need to address this challenge. We need not do so with suspicion or fear, but with a sense of faith in Britain. We need a willingness both to receive and to learn. Through a deep faith in our own country and its people we