The imminent demise of Church in Society (an independent charity underwritten by the Church of England Canterbury and Rochester Dioceses) is a sad development. It calls into question the commitment of the Church of England to tackle social responsibility issues at a strategic level.
In the 1980s the Church of England published Faith in the City and Faith in the Countryside which were devastating critiques of the failure of government to tackle problems of social exclusion.
At a time when a draconian cut in public expenditure over a long period is inevitable it will be the voluntary sector (including faith organisations) which will have to pick up the pieces. The disappearance of an infrastructure organisation which could (a) support front-line work by churches,(b) campaign for policy changes and (c) represent the Church on strategic partnerships in Kent, is an absolute disgrace.
The two dioceses have shunted social responsibility in to a siding. So far nothing has appeared in the public domain about how the two dioceses will ensure the continuation of the work of Church in Society. My guess is that the work will be farmed out, be fragmented and ineffectual.
In the 1980s the Church of England published Faith in the City and Faith in the Countryside which were devastating critiques of the failure of government to tackle problems of social exclusion.
At a time when a draconian cut in public expenditure over a long period is inevitable it will be the voluntary sector (including faith organisations) which will have to pick up the pieces. The disappearance of an infrastructure organisation which could (a) support front-line work by churches,(b) campaign for policy changes and (c) represent the Church on strategic partnerships in Kent, is an absolute disgrace.
The two dioceses have shunted social responsibility in to a siding. So far nothing has appeared in the public domain about how the two dioceses will ensure the continuation of the work of Church in Society. My guess is that the work will be farmed out, be fragmented and ineffectual.
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