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Clare ShortClare Short's Keynote SpeechMonday 7th JulyRead the full text here.
‘Now is the time for people who say they believe in Jesus Christ to really mean it’. That was the challenge placed before Assembly by former overseas development minister Clare Short in her keynote speech on Monday evening. We lived in world where half of the 6bn people alive today live in poverty, while some 20% of the world live in relative affluence. To see the issue of poverty merely as one of the need for charity was to misunderstand. The action needed was far more thoroughgoing and required political action by governments - those who belonged to faith groups, including Christians, should be putting their efforts into ensuring that the necessary action was taken to meet achievable targets like the Millennium Development Goals. Here in Britain we had doubled the proportion of our GDP put into overseas development but there was absolutely no reason why it should not be doubled again. It was purely a matter of the political will, and that was where Christians could play a part. In the affluent countries of the world, Ms Short identified a disturbing problem - for the first time we had passed beyond the struggle for survival. Even the poorest were provided with the basic necessities of life, for which previous generations had to fight. And yet there was something wrong: a lack of a sense of meaning or purpose. It was as if, no longer having to struggle to survive, there was no purpose left to living. We needed to rediscover a sense of purpose through the struggle for justice and fairness in the world. In doing so we would achieve another aim, that of making the world a safer place, for unless poverty and injustice reduced, unless environmental degradation is halted, we would all pay the price. For the Christian churches, to ‘mean it’ and become more visibly identified with the struggle for justice might also be one solution to the problem of their alienation from the younger generation. If young people saw the churches standing up for a better world we might find them turning once again to faith. Ms Short’s candour, obvious commitment and clear command of her subject - especially when handling questions - struck a powerful chord with Assembly and they greeted her contribution with a heartfelt standing ovation. Read the full speech here. |
HighlightsSearch HotlineClare ShortRead a summary of Clare Short's keynote speech, given on Monday evening. Moderator's AddressRead Alasdair Pratt's address to Assembly, 'Exile or Exodus?' A summary is available here Have Your SayJoin in the discussion about this year's General Assembly |
