The Christian Gospel, the Good News announced by Jesus when he quoted from the Prophet Isaiah in St Luke’s Gospel Chapter 4, Verse 18, has implications for how we live our lives, how we treat other people, and what we believe to be right and wrong. This means that if it is to do its job the Church must be involved in social issues. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed," How and why the Church should be involved continues to arouse controversy. If a Church confines itself to general principles, such as love your neighbour it may be accused of not giving enough guidance to its members. If it suggests specific things that need to be done such as overseas aid, or unemployment or homelessness among young people, or the treatment of prisoners it may offend members who hold different opinions. Some Churches seek to contribute to informed debate and action and promote dialogue within all the major arenas of public life about values and goals for our future society. The members of these Churches may have different opinons and debate issues of concern to the Church and wider society. Other Churches provide very specific rules for their members on issues such as alcohol, gambling or dancing. A Church that will not allow its members to join sporting clubs, or other social groups, will probably also object to freemasonry. Because religion and politics are never discussed in lodges, freemasons have often been slow to appreciate the different approaches of different Churches to subjects like freemasonry. While some Churches seek an informed debate about the nature and influence of freemasonry, other Churches make rules to limit the social contacts of their members. back to in the news . . .
|