Occupy and St Pauls

The media is doing what the media does so well, reducing something complex to a set of reductionist statements and headlines. The occupation at St Pauls is being portrayed as a crisis within the church when in reality it is no more than an expression of a tension that is inherent or even essential to its existence. The Church, indeed any Church, is both a set of ideas and values, and an institutional and organisational presence. The arguments that have taken place within the Church of England this week are a reflection of that reality and of the commitment of the Church to maintain both its values and its institutions.

The protesters have convincingly argued that the values of their campaign are in keeping with many of the  underlying values and principles of the Church. Social justice, equality and human rights are all integral to the values of both. The difficulty for the Church is that as an institution its is deeply embedded within the cultural constraints of the society in which we live. Whilst Occupy can and should adopt a more radical approach to the issue of social injustice the Church can realistically only adopt an approach that is at best progressive. The Church of England is what it says on the tin - an institution that is integral part of this country and of the values which are central to it. Whereas Occupy is an expression of the anger that many of us have toward the exploitation of the people. These are not groups that are in opposition but allies in a common struggle.

Occupy St Pauls came about because the Movement and the Church share a commitment to social justice. The resignations are regretable, especially for the individuals concerned, but do not represent a crisis in the Church. The resignations are far more a reflection of its internal diversity and the commitment of its people to uphold to its values and its organisational sustainability, they are also a reflection of the decency of the Dean and his colleagues. As for the media thats totally missing the point... whats new.