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Shrewsbury: Bishop speaks of real 'British values' which have shaped our nation


The Bishop of Shrewsbury told a congregation of civic leaders gathered in the historic Shrewsbury Abbey on Sunday that it would be a mistake to try to uncouple Britain from her Christian heritage in the quest to draw up a new set of national values. The Rt Rev Mark Davies, preaching at the annual Civic Service, said that British values were rooted unalterably in the country's Christian history.

It was this inheritance which had "formed what is best in us", the Bishop said, and which was represented in the public service given by so many to uphold the value and dignity of every person, allowing there to be no strangers or outsiders in civic life. The Bishop expressed his hope that the non-party political office of Mayor would never be lost as this unique office highlights the common good which every elected and administrative office seeks to serve.

Bishop Davies said: "I suspect there are few things more dangerous in political life than a 'year zero', a collective amnesia about what has formed and sustained us through the centuries. It was for this reason that Church leaders expressed concern about the arbitrary definition of "British values" to be potentially determined by each succeeding administration or generation of politicians. British values are the unalterable fact of the Christian inheritance which has formed so much of our culture and laws. This inheritance has formed what is best in us. And so we have no need in Britain to seek out a set of values: they already exist as a given fact which has shaped our life for much more than a millennium. It is to this inheritance we are recalled in this ancient Abbey Church today."

"...Christians can and do disagree with one another in their political outlooks and in the practical policy solutions they propose. However, Christians must always agree on what every human being is truly worth. It is this there that we must always find the starting point, the sustaining principle of our public service. Today I would suggest that in public life and civic service if we ever begin to lose sight of the human face, the value of the human person behind the letters wereceive; the problems we address; the decisions we make then we need, as we do today, glimpse anew the vision of life which has sustained and inspire the best public service through the centuries."

The service at the former Benedictine abbey, which was founded in the late 11th century, was attended by Mayor of Shrewsbury, Cllr Miles Kenny and Mayoress Mrs Aurona Kenny. It was also attended by the Mayor of Telford and Wrekin, and the Mayors of Wem, Oswestry and other local Shropshire town mayors.

The Lord Lieutenant Sir Algernon Heber-Percy KCVO also attended the event along with the High Sheriff of Shropshire, David Stacey and his wife Annabel.

The homily of Bishop of Shrewsbury follows in full.

Sermon preached at the Civic Service, Shrewsbury Abbey 7th February 2016

Gathered in this historic Abbey Church, we are recalled in Christian worship to that vision of human life and dignity which has shaped the civic life of Shrewsbury for a thousand years. Christianity gave us the idea of the human person, a person endowed with eternal value and dignity. And the church spires standing on the skyline of this town daily remind us of this Christian inheritance. The Catholic Cathedral, set by the Earls of Shrewsbury precariously on the Town Walls, was similarly designed by Augustus Pugin to specifically evoke the Christian past, not as nostalgia but as the vital context of our present-day lives. And not only here in Shrewsbury; that most celebrated architect of the Gothic revival was then co- operating with Charles Barry in the design of the new Houses of Parliament. He wanted to make this vision, rather than a blank wall, the context of our political life, our decision- making for the future good of society.

On my visits to schools some of the youngest children ask me a surprisingly direct question: "How old are you?" Their estimate of my age rarely comes below 80! And I sometimes say to the children being a bishop, I must be 2,000 years old, as I am one of those direct links which every bishop must be to the first Twelve chosen by Christ Himself. And in a similar way, in all your political and civic offices, I hope you will never forget how old you are, as you remember what has formed our society. For I suspect there are few things more dangerous in political life than a "year zero", a collective amnesia about what has formed and sustained us through the centuries. It was for this reason that Church leaders expressed concern about the arbitrary definition of "British values" to be potentially determined by each succeeding administration or generation of politicians. British values are the unalterable fact of the Christian inheritance which has formed so much of our culture and laws. This inheritance has formed what is best in us. And so we have no need in Britain to seek out a set of values: they already exist as a given fact which has shaped our life for much more than a millennium. It is to this inheritance we are recalled in this ancient Abbey Church today.

In our act of repentance here today, we are conscious of our own failures and the tragic failures in our long history when we have not been true to this understanding. However, we must always set out anew to recognise the social and political implications of this vision of human life and destiny. The remarkable path that began in the inheritance of Israel which taught by force of law: "When a stranger resides with you ... you shall not do him wrong. The alien who resides with you ... shall be to you as the citizen among you and you shall love him as yourself" (Lev.19:33-34).

This Law of old has immediate implications for us today as we prepare to welcome refugee families in this town, not as strangers but as brothers and sisters. Saint Paul offered to those who first believed this vision of a new set of human relationships where there can be no strangers, no aliens and no outsiders. In the Gospel we have just heard, the Son of God, taking humanity to himself, would become with his family refugees from the murderous Herod: "Then Joseph, got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt."

How often this flight from persecution is being repeated in our time. Christianity does not offer precise, policy prescriptions on how best to manage social benefits and housing or to regulate migration. However, Christianity will always offer the bigger picture, the context in which we can seek to formulate public policy in recognition - and never at the cost - of the human person. Christians can and do disagree with one another in their political outlooks and in the practical policy solutions they propose. However, Christians must always agree on what every human being is truly worth. It is this there that we must always find the starting point, the sustaining principle of our public service.

Today I would suggest that in public life and civic service if we ever begin to lose sight of the human face, the value of the human person behind the letters we receive; the problems we address; the decisions we make then we need, as we do today, glimpse anew the vision of life which has sustained and inspire the best public service through the centuries. Today at the heart of our civic life always stands the Mayor.

In whatever changes are made to local government, it is my hope that this non-party political office will never be lost. It is this mayoral office, with its exhausting round of engagements with local life which perhaps best represents this Christian vision of public service. It is a unique office which visibly upholds the place and the dignity everyone allowing there to be no strangers, no outsiders. In this way the mayoral service highlights the good which every elected and administrative office seeks to serve. In much the same way as this ancient Abbey visibly represents our Christian inheritance.

It is the inheritance of faith and values that has shaped the life of our nation from its beginning. May this vision of human worth and dignity never fade in our hearts or perish in our civic life.

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