Keep Your Faith to Yourself!
So says our culture to us. “We don’t mind what you believe or how you practise your beliefs just as long as you keep it an entirely private matter….keep your faith to yourself”
It is becoming increasingly difficult to exercise Christian faith in the public arena. Recent cases of dismissal or suspension for Christians who have wanted to wear a cross at work, or who have offered to pray for other people in the workplace remind us that the militant liberal agenda is threatening some of our Christian freedoms
But Christian faith is not a private matter. Baptisms have to be public occasions. Faith has a voice that needs hearing in the marketplace. Christians believe not only in the possibility of transformation of individuals by the power of the Holy Spirit, but also of communities and nations
If we sit back and do nothing, our freedom to express our faith in public life will continue to be eroded
On Good Friday we have a chance to stand together in public with other Christians as we bear witness to the death of Jesus on the cross to redeem us all
We will gather at Lowestoft Road Methodist Church in Gorleston on Good Friday, April 2nd at 10.40, and march through the centre of town in silence. We will stop to pray, to hear Scripture being read, and sing a hymn before gathering at St Andrew’s for a shared service at noon
Please be there…for Jesus’ sake, for the Church’s sake, for our town’s sake and for your own sake. This is much too important not to be bothered
Tony Ward and Linda Ricketts
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey is calling Christians to stand up for their faith and avoid being bullied out of public life
Speaking at an event put on by the Christian Broadcasting Council he said there are strident campaigns in the name of political correctness that prevent believers living out their faith
Lord Carey said: “It is clear that we must stand up against the marginalising of faith. We must constantly remind society of its Christian roots and heritage”
And he warned Christians that if they “behave like doormats” they will be treated as though they are. He also expressed concern over what he claimed was an aggressive campaign by atheists to banish faith from the public sphere
He said that since 9/11 “a new breed of atheists have moved into the public square arguing that Christianity, or any other faith, should have no role in public life”
Olave Snelling from the CBC tells Premier the situation is getting worse:
“In society we have to look at trends and I would say that if we look at what has happened and what is happening now we could see accurately that there is increasing hostility towards Christians in public office and in the market place
“So we have to say something, we can’t remain silent and if we do remain silent then we deserve everything we get”
Lord Carey’s comments come as many Christians have expressed a growing hostility towards public declarations of faith. Last month Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said that Christianity was being pushed out of public life in a 'ferocious and insidious' manner
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