A purely private faith is of no public use and is not Christian
By Professor Stephen Williams, Belfast Newsletter:
In the run-up to the election, we hear some Christian politicians talking about separating their faith from their politics.
Their faith is private.
Of course, if their faith tells them to be honest and keep to their word etc, that affects their public conduct.
Also, compassion and justice matter in public life. But these are shared general moral standards which everyone professes.
Religious faith has no role to play in shaping the world of public policy, where we are trying to legislate on behalf of everyone.
This is a complete misunderstanding of faith, politics and their relationship.
Law and public policy are not value-free zones.
Some groups’ values will prevail in public life; some groups will lose out.
Because they’re in the headlines, take the arguments over abortion, just as an example. People value differently the life of the unborn child in relation to the mother’s choice.
These are not just ‘personal values’; they are the values which people believe should be enshrined in law.
There has got to be some law on abortion.
If Christian values do not prevail, the alternative is not neutrality.
It is that others’ values will prevail.
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