Looking forward.......

Many people regard the New Year as the time to make wishes concerning their hopes for the year ahead.  It's an advent, a determination to change for the better, for a new beginning, for a sea-change in attitude. Whilst emphasis is placed by many on personal factors,  we may hope for changes in the  political, economic and social status quo to remedy what we perceive as systemic failings in our society. What will 2026 bring in terms of challenging the causes of poverty, destitution, homelessness, addiction, discrimination, marginalisation, exclusion?   Or will we enter 2027 wringing our hands at lack of progress in achieving even a modicum of social justice?

It is for individuals to organise into pressure groups to educate the electorate on the systemic failure to deal with the issues noted above and to confront government with the reality of the situation and argue forcefully for change, engaging in direct action if need be.  Such pressure groups are at work and need to be supported to advance their causes. 

I concur with the opinions expressed by Stuart Delony:

“I’m not here to defend doctrines or claim certainty. That boat’s sailed. These days, I live in the tension—between belief and doubt, silence and signal. But even from that space, the way of Jesus still haunts me. Not the theology. Not the miracles. Just the audacity of loving enemies and elevating the broken as if they weren’t disposable. That stays with me. Saints—at least the ones polished up by modern faith—are exhausting. They smile too much. They sell certainty like it’s clearance-priced salvation. And if you spend enough time with them, you realize that sainthood is often just repression in a choir robe. Give me a skeptic. Someone who doubts clean answers and still shows up. Someone who doesn’t need a theology to justify their compassion. Someone who knows the world’s broken but hasn’t hardened into apathy. That’s the kind of person I’d rather walk with. Or drink with. Or follow through the dark. These days, I’m not looking for a belief system. I’m looking for a way to live. Something that smells like honesty. Something that honors doubt without drowning in it. Something that still dares to love, even without the cosmic reward points. Call it post-evangelical. Call it spiritual agnosticism. Call it “still figuring it out.” I don’t care. Just don’t try to sell me certainty. Because at this point, I’ll take a worn-out skeptic over a polished saint any day.”

The challenge for me is not to debate theological ideas, doctrine or dogma, but to become more involved in the task of seeking to promote the idea that all individuals are to be treated equitably and not marginalised, excluded or discriminated against.  We have to challenge the causes of poverty, of multiple deprivation and counter the peddlers of hate.  It is called loving your neighbour.