idea january/february 2009
ECONOMIC BATTLEGROUND. After Gordon Brown won several rounds of contests with David Cameron over the economy, the Conservatives finally landed a blow by announcing that, to tighten budgets, they would not maintain the projected growth in public spending in 2010-11. It seems Cameron may be tapping into a growing public willingness to accept spending restraint. When money is easy to find we mind less what the Government is doing with it; when paying the mortgage and feeding your family is a struggle, resentment grows at the seeming profligacy of public spending and the threat of a future rise in taxes to pay for it. Christians could take this opportunity to show the world around them that money is not the most important part of life. Perhaps at this time of economic difficulty Christians could also model living within their means while maintaining their giving and encourage those around them to do likewise. Our seeming intoxication to indebtedness and reliance upon credit is a dangerous way of life and is surely one of the main causes of the current economic mess. EUTHANASIA. In November, Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris secured a 90minute Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying. While the debate did not relate to any proposed legislation and was not followed by voting, it was nonetheless part of a clear strategy by the euthanasia lobby – led by Dignity in Dying (formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Society), of which Harris is a leading supporter along with Lord Joffee – to promote assisted dying. In the debate, Harris repeated the call for individuals to be allowed legal autonomy in deciding when to end their lives. He was principally opposed by Labour MP Dr Brian Iddon, who chairs the Care Not Killing alliance, which seeks to oppose introduction of assisted suicide and voluntary or involuntary euthanasia into UK law, promotes palliative care and works to educate the general public about the issue.
Dr Iddon said, “I do not want physicianassisted suicide to become a treatment option.... How a society treats its dying patients is a litmus test for that society.” This debate will continue. And with Lord Joffee insisting he is preparing to reintroduce a bill in the House of Lords, there is no doubt that those concerned to ensure that euthanasia never gains a foothold in UK law will need to remain alert. SEX AND RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION. The Alliance, along with Care, Family Education Trust, Christian Concern for Our Nation and others, has been in communication with Schools Minister Jim Knight MP since he announced last February that the Government was going to undertake a review of Sex and Relationships Education Delivery in England.
Splitting the vote On 20 January, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, and it is interesting to note that he did more throughout his epic 21-month election campaign to reach out to Christian voters than any Democratic candidate since Jimmy Carter. He is comfortable speaking from the pulpit, and his speeches are often laced with biblical rhetoric. Exit polls suggested that the evangelical vote went to Obama’s Republican opponent due to the key morality issues. But the Faith in Public Life survey revealed a more
news
The primary concern was that the review group might recommend that sex and relationships education (SRE) be made part of the National Curriculum, as opposed to the way it works now, with the required course being decided on a local basis by parents in consultation with governors. Research demonstrates that SRE benefits from high levels of parental involvement. So rather than define this at the school level, it makes sense to provide for greater parental involvement in SRE than other subjects, rather than letting politicians set the curriculum. In late October, however, Knight announced that in England SRE will be compulsory for those 5 years and over and placed on the National Curriculum, completely reneging on his earlier commitment to consult. In other words, on this important issue, the Government has eroded parental influence by centralising the curriculum away from parents and governors, and it has done this without consulting parents. It is now very important that parents make it plain to the Government that making such controversial policy changes without a general consultation is completely unacceptable. eauk.org/pq
complicated reality. Despite conventional mythology that abortion and same-sex marriage are the predominant factors in determining the evangelical vote, only one in five felt that these issues best reflected their beliefs. A comparable proportion (18%) felt that an agenda focused on poverty and the environment was the most representative outworking of their values. The remaining majority felt that a broad range of policy areas best reflected their position. Voting in the UK is not polarised by religious belief in the same way that it is in the US. However, as we look towards a general election in the next 18 months, it is important to consider what issues we should be challenging our candidates with. Where do our beliefs impact the world around us and how should we call on our political leaders to make a difference?
5