Message to the local Anglican bishop

Here's another letter from the past. It's a missive to our local Anglican bishop of the time, in response to a despairing letter on actions of our Australian government. I remember receiving a polite but formal reply, and realising that, no, the Anglican bishop still remained unconvinced by secular humanism. I should be so surprised? Now, of course, our Anglican hierarchy in Australia is honoured by the very Govt that Brishop Browning despaired of. Thankfully, there are still undercurrents in this and other churches working for social justice.

Dear Bishop Browning

I read with interest and general agreement the Canberra Times report on your letter to Anglican news (Ashamed to be Australian, says bishop, in CT, 8 May 97, p. 1-2). I, too, have recently come to feel revulsion at many things happening in our country, and I realise that shame may be an appropriate word for my feelings.

This reminded me of an article I have recently read concerning the common interests of religion and enlightenment rationalism, especially in our current sociopolitical environment. It was a revealing observation for me, although I have been coming to this realisation while listening to religious radio on ABC Radio National in recent months. The article (Has reason a future, by Brian Ellis, in Australian rationalist, No. 42, Summer 1996-97, p. 14-19) is a review of three books on religion. However, its conclusion makes the observation that enlightenment rationalism requires an ethical structure which, in the Western world, is traditionally provided by Christianity. Thus he questions whether science and religion should be seen as being in mortal conflict. He also argues that religion and science are now threatened by several common threats: social constructivism, consumerism in education, and economic rationalism.

Shame is bad enough, but I worry also that I am starting to feel fear. Here I am reminded of a book which I read over a year ago which has altered my way of perceiving modern history (The age of extremes : the short twentieth century, 1914-1991, by Eric Hobsbaum. London : Michael Joseph, 1994). Hobsbaum identifies this "short century' as witnessing great extremes of ideologies in great swings over very short periods. Thus, 1914 (or thereabouts) saw the end of Victorianism and European empires, the Russian revolution and relativity. Over the ensuing 77 years (only one lifetime!) we have seen roaring twenties and great depression, communist growth outpacing the West then crashing, fascism and Nazism and communism and capitalism clashing in various wars, a truly world war, social revolution in the Sixties, the greatest period of growth of wealth the world has ever seen (the West after WW2) followed by the decline of Western wealth and the growth of the East, and more. From Hobsbawm I learnt that things can change very rapidly in the modern world. So, I observe populist right-wing political movements arising from a politics of reaction and ideology and technocracy and fear the worst for myself and especially my children.

Bishop Browning, thank you for your expressing your concerns. I value you and other religious institutions expressing these social positions, and see the mainstream churches as one of the most powerful avenues for reminding us of the importance of society in an increasingly isolating, harsh and individualistic world.