Wednesday 11 April 2012

Your Christian Democratic Heritage

The presence of Christians "Proclaiming the Lordship of Christ" in the Shetland Times blog for candidates has caused some stir.    I do hope I am wrong, and that we are genuinely a tolerant community, but I am not sure if the tone of the respondants to my (Andrew's) blog really support this claim to a tolerant multi-cultural/multi-faith society.    I hope there is not one spiteful bone in my body and that as Christians we shall offer a progressive, and an enlightened care and concern for all in our communities in which we serve.    I will be frank, signs of intolerance does deeply affect me, and sadden me, but I do still try to gladly receive constructive criticism.  I make no apologies however, for standing for what I believe in.   Christ is who and what defines me as a person, however much I fail to live up to and represent Him.   I only ask you not to look at the man (me or Peter), you will find plenty there to criticise, but look to Christ our Lord, God and Saviour, His life and work.     I dare not do otherwise, and hide my beliefs from the Shetland electorate.    They have a right to this much from me and all candidates.
Religious Intolerance
We frequently read in the press both here in Shetland and elsewhere of the opposition to faith in public life, whether in schools, or unelected faith representatives on Council committees or the slightest outward expression of faith in the wearing of religious ornaments.    The freedom from such religious expressions are expressed by an increasingly intolerant and vocal minority.
Christian Democracy
As Christian democrats we welcome debate on these issues, as it gives us the opportunity to explain that the present democracy we currently enjoy is rooted in the history of our Christian heritage.
From the time of the Scottish Reformation, the Church in Scotland adopted a 'Presbyterian' system, in which both ministers and elders were elected by the members of a congretation.    This was the only real democracy known to ordinary people.   
Schools
This same democracy was extended through the deployment and development of schools throughout Scotland.    Shetland was a benefactor of these schools (SSPCK schools) which gave opportunities to the poorest in our society to benefit and contribute to our growing Christian democratic system.    The Church in Scotland 'won' its unelected place on local Council authorities by default in the Education Act of 1872.    'By default' because virtually the only education offered to ordinary people then was an education in Church schools maintained sacrificially by the Church and its members.
Kings
Time and time again, despotic Kings attempted to exercise their dominion over all the affairs of the Scottish people.    Yet time and time again, Christians were martyred by the thousand (in the killing times), because of their refusal either to accept the undemocratic order being imposed on the Christian church in Scotland, or in the King's or Parliament's insistence on appointing ministers through 'patronage'.   
The Christian underclass
Thankfully, the ordinary people of Scotland always intuitively knew that the Church offered support, education and freedom from such interferance in their faith by the State.    The success of a defiant Christian underclass has led to the maintenance of a degree of Scottish sovereignty over our own affairs since the Union of the Parliaments in 1707, as well as the enfranchisement of the poorest in our society through the establishment of schools, and the care for the poorest, when few others did care.   
Secular revisionists
Secular revisionists would today seek to bring to light many abuses of the Church in Scotland over these years without any recognition of the fact that Christianity was a democratic and progressive force for good in Scotland.   
Visionaries
We stand on the shoulders of these visionaries from the past and (if elected to Council) seek to continue this great heritage through contributing to our own local democracy as a progressive influence in terms of bringing justice, fairness, stability and God-given wisdom to our new Council.

2 comments:

  1. You may like to see the new CHRISTIAN PARTY Town Councillors in North Wales

    Bless you in Shetland!

    http://www.christianpartynorthwales.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your encouragement and Christian solidarity.

    ReplyDelete