A strong summary of interpretation and application from T4CG as we seek greater collaboration in affecting profound change.  Peter
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Together for the Common Good Newsletter <website@togetherforthecommongood.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 6 Nov 2022 at 07:16
Subject: Time to get real
To: <peterchallen@gmail.com>

November 2022 Click to view email in browser    To subscribe, click here Time to get real John 8:31-32 Dear Friends   Welcome to the latest T4CG Newsletter. This is a time between eras, where the old is dying and the new is emerging. It is clear that the socio-economic model in the West has failed. For decades we have been governed by a political class, no matter which party was in power, content to give free rein to a philosophy based on a narrow economic logic and a false idea of freedom. This individualistic, globalist ideology has led to the degradation of too many people and places and undermined our democratic life. It has failed because it is based on a false anthropology, one that regards people as isolated individuals, rather than as relational beings made in the image of God. The technocrats are back, and their competence can give false hope. But it is right to give credit where credit is due: re-commitment to Levelling Up, and to vocational and technical education, is welcome. The new settlement required must take account of the interests of all our fellow citizens: a common good that balances a plurality of interests and identities. It must be at once both conservative and radical, and until such a settlement is reached we will see more pain and instability. We recognise the forces that have been corroding trust and fostering division. For over forty years we have seen our culture shift into an individualistic worldview, leading to the abandonment of whole communities. We have seen a breach of the common good. But after the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, there was an almost mystical moment of constitutional renewal. We were reminded that our ancient institutions are important and that it is human beings who keep the country going. We felt a sense of the transcendent. Our work for more than ten years has been to sow seeds: telling a story about what’s gone wrong and why this new settlement is required for human flourishing – and to propose what its characteristics need to be. Rather than a progressive utopian dream, a cultural revolution, a faith in trickle down or a technocracy, we hold to an ethical, grounded approach shaped by a rigorous non-partisan framework we call Common Good Thinking. This practical vision is rooted in Scripture, God’s worldview; and it is anchored in Catholic social thought, which is built upon a true anthropology. We are dedicated to spiritual and social renewal. Despite decline in some churches, Christians have an important contribution to make. We are called to be the embodiment of love in a desecrated world. But many leaders are confused; their formation did not equip them for this moment. Churches have become marginal, falling out of relationship with local communities. The kind of leadership required now is adaptive, it requires listening to the Spirit and becoming less programmatic, more relational and less managerial. It means refusing tribalism and engaging beyond our comfort zone. It means being more neighbour than host. Our social action must become less service-client, and more about genuine friendships of trust and reciprocity. It means being attentive to where the Spirit is at work, helping people navigate the sacred in their lives. By renewing our relationship with people and place, each church or missional community can discern their unique vocation for the common good. In the coming years, local solidarity and resilience will be fundamental. Increasing global volatility and international crises around food and energy supply chains mean life will change and for many it will be harder. From every angle, the imperative to build covenantal, local relationships is clear. That means having a chat at the checkout, it means hearing one another’s stories and finding shared purpose. The Kingdom requires that we build alliances of social peace – across class, across ethnicity, across opinion. It’s time to get real. We are at a pivotal, some might say, a Kairos moment. In the West we’ve become complacent, living in a kind of dream, believing that progress would always go our way. Meanwhile our societies have been unravelling and fragmenting. We may now have to adopt an attitude of “tragic realism”, a more modest, more sober, less naive, less idealistic view, on both the left and the right. And those of us committed to common good must be resolute. There is no avoiding the importance of genuine relationship, it cannot be outsourced: no advocacy or campaigning is a substitute for human connection and tenderness. People across the churches are uniquely placed, as sojourners in a broken world, alongside their neighbours, to be builders of the Kingdom; to be “repairers of the breach” (Isaiah 58:12). In this edition we are delighted to bring you a wealth of resources. We have Tim Thorlby on Levelling Up for the Common Good, and the two latest lectures in our series at Lincoln Cathedral, Just Church? and Just Being? from Malcolm Brown and Edward Hadas. We have three new, free resources for churches: one for the World Day of the Poor, another for the Feast of Christ the King, and a podcast series on Synodality. And for schools we bring you a short resource on the Queen and the Common Good. And as usual, you will find our latest signs of the times selection of articles and recommended books below. What you see here is only a taste of T4CG’s work, most of which is under the radar. We also advise at a strategic level across the churches, accompany leaders, deliver bespoke sessions and much more. Thanks to our partnerships, our core team of only 2.5 [full time equivalent] achieves more than most charities of this size. But currently, the funding environment is very difficult, so please read the message at the end of this newsletter to see how you can help. Every blessing on you and your family, Together for the Common Good     Levelling Up for the Common Good The communities abandoned by neoliberal economics are said to ‘feel’ left-behind. In fact, the loss they have sustained is real and has yet to be fully recognised, let alone repaired. The Levelling Up White Paper is a serious policy proposal addressing the complexity of the task. Part of the Sunak Government agenda, it also has cross party support, but implementation will be a challenge. Leaders across the churches should read the paper and be prepared to play their part. In this thought piece, Tim Thorlby takes a biblical perspective to analyse the failure of successive governments to ‘level up’ the wide regional disparities in the UK. He advocates that an ‘upside down’ approach to economics may deliver better results – an approach that is radical, social-purpose led and decentralised. Read on  RESOURCE FOR WORLD DAY OF THE POOR: 13 NOVEMBER 2022  Solidarity in Hard Times: poverty must be tackled relationally What is distinctive about the Christian approach to poverty? What is poverty and how should it be defined? Our friends at Caritas Social Action Network have produced a free resource for churches for this year’s World Day of the Poor which is on November 13th. The resource is based around a letter from Pope Francis who urges that for Christians, poverty is to be tackled primarily through relationships – he emphasises the importance of reciprocity and that the more affluent do not delegate their responsibility through a ‘welfare mentality’ or ‘activism’. Read on and download the resource here RESOURCE FOR FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING, 20 NOVEMBER 2022 Feast of Christ the King We offer this free liturgy resource to help you celebrate the Feast of Christ the King on November 20th. Originally a Roman Catholic feast, it is now observed by Christians of all denominations as a way to honour Jesus Christ as the ‘King of Kings’ and to recognise the reality of God in an increasingly secular world. It is designed for you and your family, your prayer group, missional community or congregation. Hymns and readings are suggested and the liturgy includes a Litany for the Solemnity of Christ the King. To reflect the Common Good, we suggest that you invite several readers to share the readings, inviting a good mix of people so as to have a variety of accents and voices. Download the resource LECTURE SERIES Just Church? How can the C of E be a church for England? The fourth lecture in our series in partnership with Lincoln Cathedral was by Malcolm Brown. Malcolm is Director of Mission and Public Affairs for the Church of England. In the lecture he explores how Catholic Social Teaching fits into the mission of the Church of England, and considers its legacy for the common good and how it might become a church for England. The text and recording of his lecture, along with those of the first three, by Jenny Sinclair, Lord Glasman and Edward Hadas, are now online. Listen to recordings and download texts here PODCAST ON SYNODALITY Renewing Church and Neighbourhood: the Synodal Way Churches are undergoing profound change and some are adopting a practice called synodality. To support churches on this journey, T4CG has produced three short podcasts. Each features Jenny Sinclair and Sean Ryan who read the signs of the times and look at what synodality is for, exploring how the local church can be revitalised and discover its vocation for the common good at this critical time.Synodality or “walking together” is a global initiative within the Catholic Church whereby parishes are adopting a new (and ancient) way of being church based on listening to the Holy Spirit, to each other and to the neighbourhood – but this is relevant for all churches. Watch and listen RESOURCE FOR SCHOOLS  The Queen and the Common Good In memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II, T4CG has created a free classroom resource for 11-16 year olds to engage with ideas around service to the community and the importance of relationships. In terms of her character and vocation to public service, her life resonates strongly with T4CG’s Common Good Schools 10-week programme which encourages young people to take responsibility within their local community. Find out about Common Good Schools • Download the free resource Signs of the Times: We select articles to give you insight into what is going on. International John Gray Welcome to the era of tragic realism Peter Zeihan The end of the old world order, and what happens next Ryan Tyler Hyperglobalisation has failed Konstantin Kisin Putin’s speech Lawrence Freedman why Putin prefers war to peace Gary Lane Christians in Iran risking their lives in the uprising Jean Pisani-Ferry Europe’s looming energy disaster  Jan Jekielek Exposing China’s Murder for Organs Industry Michael Shellenberger China made cheap solar with forced labour and coal Paul Corner Why Italy still mourns Mussolini Domestic politics Domestic John Gray Revenge of the Technocrats Maurice Glasman The future belongs to Blue Labour UK Government Levelling Up White Paper Mary Harrington Can Sunak end the new class war? Kevin Schofield Rishi’s honeymoon is over Aris Roussinos Truss made a solid case for Labour UK Onward voters want a government that shares wealth more equally Charles Walker MP Commons chaos an absolute disgrace Peter Hitchens lecture lamenting the destruction of Britain at the hands of the tories Paul Embery research shows Farage’s libertarian economics is a minority interest Yanis Varoufakis 2008 is not over: Hunt cannot solve debt via austerity Kate Andrews Mervyn King said the unsayable about Britain’s economy Oliver Wright House prices will fall 30% next year Paul Kingsnorth the neo-environmentalists and the 4th industrial revolution Amelia Gentleman Home Office leaves Manston asylum seekers stranded Mary Wakefield In defence of Elon Musk Kate Bingham the inside story on Britain’s vaccine rollout John Milbank Charles will be the people’s king Caroline Davies King Charles III’s role will ‘protect the space for faith itself’ Helen Thompson Our Queen’s sacrifice NT Wright Preachers talk about Christianity, the Queen went out and lived it Cost of living crisis Warm Welcome UK website listing community warm hubs in churches, libraries Camerados six tips for setting up a warm space CILIP A warm welcome – setting up a warm space in your community UK Government data food bank demand and rising cost of living Catholic Bishops of England and Wales Cost of Living statement  James Henderson Food pantries and the cost of living crisis Culture wars Joan Smith Starmer reverses on the transitioning of children without parental consent Joanna Williams the culture war is an attack on the working class Christopher Rufo A parent’s guide to radical gender theory Helen Joyce the truth about trans and why sex matters Julie Bindel Is sanity returning to the trans debate? Mary Harrington Scotland’s new gender bill imperils the union Janice Turner There’s more to womanhood than high heels Kathleen Stock speaking the truth on trans has set me free Changing church Laudato Si’ movement The Letter (film) Antonio Spadaro, SJ Laudato Si, the Cry of the Earth: an interview with Bruno Latour Joint Public Issues Team Net Zero In My Neighbourhood (resource)Economy of Francesco Final Statement of EoF2022 Assisi Event Catholic Bishops Conference England & Wales The Call of Creation David Brooks/Luke Bretherton Christian humanism, antidote to Christian nationalism Ephraim Radner The Last Lambeth Conference Bernard G. Prusak Who knew? the RC sexual-abuse crisis and ‘epistemic injustice’A117 Why people who were wrong must be held to account (IICSA) Vatican-Synod team Enlarge the space of your tent: synodality journey Philip Booth Need for ‘culture of dialogue’ between different interpretations of CST  Luke Coppen Cameroon model – less parish, more church in the neighbourhood Al Roxburgh Leaders Table: Where Are We? EA how churches can work effectively with MPs, mayors etc (resource) Patrick Hudson Portsmouth Diocese to reduce from 87 parishes to 24Luke Coppen French Catholics share a roof with homeless people Jordan Peterson Message to the Christian churches Can you help? We know that you, as we do, believe in the importance of the common good, and we know you value T4CG and our work with churches, schools and civil society. We achieve a lot with very little and we are so grateful for your encouragement. Currently we are facing a very difficult fundraising environment. This means there is a significant hole in our 2023 budget which we urgently need to fill to maintain the work. If you know of funders, grant makers and in particular potential major donors who share our vision, please mention this to them as soon as possible, or introduce us, and we will be delighted to arrange a private conversation. Sincere thanks and best wishes Jenny Sinclair Founder Director Please email me via my colleague Louise Lambert at louise@togetherforthecommongood.co.uk Recommended books – Our latest selection Mattias Desmet The psychology of Totalitarianism Maurice Glasman Blue Labour: The Politics of the Common Good Kevin Ahern Structures of Grace: Catholic Organizations & the Global Common Good Tim Stacey Saving Liberalism from Itself – The Spirit of Political Participation John O’Brien & Simon Duffy Love and Welfare: the Need for Roots You may also be interested in Recommended books in previous newsletters, our Leading Thinkers collection Common Good thinking and Catholic social thought  Comments box Have you recently engaged with T4CG? Attended an event, or met one of our team? We would love to hear what you think. This will help us gauge our impact. Our comments box is open: Comments What is the Common Good? The Common Good is the shared life of a society in which everyone can flourish – as we act together in different ways that all contribute towards that goal, enabled by social conditions that mean every single person can participate. We create these conditions and pursue that goal by working together across our differences, each of us taking responsibility, according to our calling and ability. Click here to learn more and explore our free resources • Share • Tweet • Forward About Together for the Common Good We are dedicated to the renewal of our country. T4CG helps people rediscover their civic vocation through the building of local relationships. We offer common good training, create resources and hold public conversations. We work with many partners, in particular with churches. Drawing on the wisdom of all the Christian traditions and especially from Catholic social thought, we articulate the meaning and practice of the common good.  We are non partisan, independent, ecumenical and proud of our Christian traditions. Our People Team: Jenny Sinclair (Founder Director), Sean Ryan [Director of Operations and Development], Jo Stow [Common Good Schools Project Leader, p/t], Louise Lambert (Team Support Worker, p/t), Ben Curran (Comms Partner), Annette McBride [Volunteer PA, p/t] Board of Trustees: Richard Holman (Chair), Holly Terry (Company Secretary), Sophie Stanes, David Smith, Edward Hadas Our sincere thanks We acknowledge help-in-kind from our partners and associates who contribute pro bono to different strands of our work. We are most grateful to our regular donors for their faithful generosity and to CCLA for sponsoring the building of our website. If this message has been forwarded to you, and you would like to add your own email address to the list, you can:  subscribe to our newsletter here • Read our previous newsletters here. Together for the Common Good is a registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1172113). © T4CG 2022