Categories: general-nonsense, ecclesiastical-stuff, ranting
Date: 05 November 2010 12:43:52
So there has been a great deal of nonsense and hot air spouted about "The Big Society" and "New Austerity" from alot of different directions, including this one. The whole current situation gives us lots to think about, particularly if we are Christians who are by definition engaged in the voluntary sector or third sector by the very nature of some the activities churches do and have done. It can be difficult to know where to go to get any serious, useful information on the whole subject. Well my recommendation as a first port of call would be the new economics forum, which has the rather encouraging tag line of "economics as if people and planet mattered". They have produced a 32 page report entitled "Cutting it: The 'Big Society' and the new austerity", (available as a pdf download on the previous link).
The report raises some serious questions about the approach which is being taken, including whether the move to encourage more commercial involvement will actually take power away from local small organisations who actually know the areas they are working in.
The Faithworks movement has been involved in looking at these issues aswell and has been organising some local conferences.
I have a range of questions to ask though, in relation to churches involvement - which yet again fit in with the stuff I've been reading in Ann Morisy's book Journeying Out :
1) Are we being reflective enough about our motives for engaging in The Big Society? Is it because we think the core aims fit in with our gospel call our is it because we hope this could be part of the answer to the crisis of secularisation? I hope it is the first, but part of me, (quite a big part of me), worries it is the second.
2) Are we being reflective enough about who our congregations are, what the demands upon them are and how their make up is going to change over the next few years? If we are seeking to look at how we deploy and use our volunteers we need to be realistic about who they are and what we are asking them to do. As I put it bluntly in an interview a few months ago, if we were seeing old people being used in any other sector how they're used in the church we would call it exploitation.
3) Following on from this, whilst being open to the Spirit and the unreasonableness of God and faith (in a totally positive way), are we thinking strategically enough or are we currently being led by reactive practice?
4) Are we being imaginative enough in our approaches and deployment of the staff and resources we have? Or are we becoming defensive on such issues and engaging in damaging debates which are creating cultures of competition and or fear based purely on economic considerations?
5) Are we seeking to use our local knowledge and contacts in a way which benefits our communities or seeks to reassert or develop our own power and influence? Is there a conflict between the two?
Me, I don't have the answers. I'm engaging in the same soul searching and wrestling as everybody else....but from a relative position of detatchment at the moment where I can pose the awkward questions.