Local Elections - May 2008

The Black Country Churches Engaged have issued some useful election guidelines for Christians ahead of the local elections in May. In some areas, candidates are standing from the British National Party.

The Guidelines are as follows:

• Do you and does the candidate, recognize the innate dignity and equal value of all human persons?
• Can you be confident that the person you vote for is able to represent, and make judgements on behalf of, all the local community, regardless of their race, colour or faith?
• Will the person elected work for the common good of all, not just one section of like-minded individuals?
  
• Will his/her policies promote harmony, justice and social cohesion, so that no individual or group or faith is marginalized, demonised or treated unjustly?
  
• Do his/her policies feed on the fear of one group over another?
• How will his/her policies promote the rich diversity of cultures living within the community?
• Do his/her policies serve to promote good race relations, respecting the culture, language and faith of all?

What strikes me, in writing these out is the question: 'How many of our churches would be unelectable if they were a political candidate' on this basis? Do we always 'work for the common good of all, not just one section of like-minded individuals'? Do we always 'promote harmony, justice and social cohesion, so that no individual or group or faith is marginalized, demonised or treated unjustly'? If we were being honest, I think we'd have to say 'no' to both questions.