Vatican
II reminds us in its document "Gaudium et Spes",
that the political community and the Church are autonomous and
independent of each other in their own fields. Nevertheless, it goes
on to remind us that both are devoted to the personal vocation of
humankind.
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THE PRIEST & THE POLITICAN
I believe the Church
has something to learn from the Blair Administration. At the heart
of New Labour, there seems to be an emphasis on experiment and
learn. Old Structures have been bulldozed down and replaced by a
human thinking which is in touch with the mood of contemporary
society. Likewise, the Institutional Church is having to address the
issues of the modern age where people are drifting away from
attending Church, and parish structures seem limited and unable to
cope with significant numbers of people who see the Church as
unimportant to their life style. It is not time for panic and
despair, but for courageous thinking and creative mindedness. I see
the need for a national Think Tank Group consisting of Bishops,
Priests and lay people with pastoral and academic experience to
focus on building a model of Church beyond the parish boundaries.
At present we see the most radical rewiring of Britain's
political machinery for three centuries. Equally, the "Third
Way" with its distinctive characteristics is on the catwalk of
the political arena. Its cosmopolitan approach embraces a
pluralistic understanding of politics and calls upon those with
diverse views and values to co-operate for the good of the nation.
In this magazine we concentrate on building a model of
Church on the fringes of Society. We call upon all to work at
developing new models of theology that can respond to the mood of
contemporary society. |
