Good governance is a godly virtue
by Martin Sewell, Archbishop Cranmer:
It is not only the turmoils of the UK government that should be inclining our minds to consider the value of good governance. Everywhere one looks there seems to be a lack of the sure-footedness which characterises a peaceful, safe world order, and a society at peace with itself.
President Putin flouts the norms of international law; border controls seem to have been abandoned; self-righteous protestors act with impunity as police and law enforcement agencies apply standards of enforcement either with partiality or, at the very least, with uncertainty and a lack of self-confidence. Yet as every dog owner or nursery school teacher will testify, having confidence in known and secure boundaries is a cornerstone of security upon which so much else is constructed. This applies equally in secular and religious contexts.
The Early Church had to evolve structures to regulate itself as Jesus’ disciples fell to martyrdom. Its subsequent history became pretty discreditable with fratricidal disputes over succession. How were doctrine and theology to be developed and authenticated in post-apostolic times? Which of the various available gospels and letters were to be commended, and which set aside? These were big issues, vigorously contested as anyone who studies Church history will find. The story of the Early Church councils is both shocking and sobering, with clashing factions, violence, and even murder: it makes the current rivalries within the Conservative Party look like a summer of love.
When good order and governance break down it can be catastrophic for some and unsatisfactory even for the majority who somehow manage to ride out the turbulence. Addressing constitutional problems wisely and with assurance is accordingly a priority even though reform is often painstaking, dull, and prolonged.
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