Christian conservatism takes radical position against welfare cuts

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian

Christian conservatism takes radical position against welfare cuts

Anglican bishops who denounced coaliton welfare cuts are part of a growing Christian movement

Andrew Brown
The Guardian, Thursday 20 February 2014 15.49 EST

The 26 Anglican bishops who signed a letter denouncing the coalition government's welfare cuts are part of a central Christian tradition that is growing as the hard times continue.

The food bank movement and the campaign against payday lenders have the support of almost all Christians in Britain. Even the evangelical HTB movement, often derided as an upper-class dating agency, does a great deal of social work, poverty relief and outreach to prisoners.

There is no connection at all between right-wing economic views and theological conservatism. The fundamentalist Salvation Army does almost nothing except work for the poor. It was the conservative Roman Catholic church that opened the latest round of hostilities with the government when Archbishop Vincent Nichols criticised the effects that the policies of his fellow Catholic Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, were having.

The interventions have stung the government, and with good reason. The churches are very much larger than any British political party. Even the Methodist church has more paying members than the Conservative or Labour parties – more than the Conservatives and Ukip together. The Church of England has five times as many people in church every Sunday than the number of Tory party members.



Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/20/christian-conservatism-radical-position-welfare-cuts

[hrmjustin]

1. I am glad The COE bishops are taking a stand.

[Diclotican]

2. Judi Lynn

Judi Lynn

No christian who try to follow the teaching of Christ - should be for cutting of "welfare" in any form - instead any who try to follow the teaching of Christ should fight hand and foot to make "welfare" better than it is - and that poor and disabled should be given what they need to survive and have a decent life...

Everyone should have the ability to have a decent life, even if you are not a billionaire or a powerfully politician - it is disgusting to cut welfare for the week and from the poor.... Everyone who have the idea that cutting in welfare - and in public programs who is made to make life a little better for the poor - should experience what poor is about - for a year or two... Then they might have another idea about it all...

Diclotican

[dotymed]

3. Does that mean that in England

the wealthy are not allowed to purchase politicians?

The Anglican church in America has, in my experience, always ben on the side of the poor.
Maybe that is why their membership has decreased so much.