The Good Society

What's your vision and hope in this General Election year ? And I don't mean which way are you going to vote. I am asking the bigger and harder question about what vision you have for the Good Society ?

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke we are invited into Jesus' vision of the Kingdom of God. It's a reality now we are told and we see signs of it in the Gospel stories but is also something hoped for, something that we need to work and pray for.

Our faith is historic but also engaged with the past, the present and the future. As we say in the Eucharist: "Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again." It is this sense of being part of God's people through all time that gives us a unique take on the present. We see the present with the wisdom of the past and the hope of the future.


I was very taken with the theme for Church Action on Poverty Sunday on the 15th February. This year they are asking us to explore Visions of a Good Society, in the light of the Wisdom of the Bible and the experience of people from our parishes who suffer from poverty.They describe their vision as believing "in the unique value of every human being, created in the image of God. We know that if we work together, we can Close the Gap between rich and poor, and build a society which will be happier, healthier, safer and fairer."

I wonder what vision of the Good Society the people of Rochdale have ? It would be interesting to talk about this with them and to share the insights and challenge of Christian faith. I am sure our Muslim friends would have much to contribute too. Proverbs 29.18 says "Where there is no vision, the people perish". I hope this year in town, church and nation we shall have a vision of a Good Society.