Across the world there is a long history of political mobilization of religious communities, and the statistical association of particular faiths and denominations with voting for particular political parties. In the UK (with the exception of Northern Ireland) the correlations are relatively weak over the last century, and were assumed to be declining with secularisation. However as political contestation has taken a cultural turn and economics and social class are less important politically, religious identity remains, and possibly grows in importance in what some consider to be a post secular society. This blog, in two parts, seeks to explore how religion may have played out in the recent General Election first at the national level in England and then at the local level, in one constituency.
National Level Analysis
For many people the initial religious response can be summarized as a big “thank God, they’ve gone”! There is some cautious encouragement in a new tone, the rhetoric about public service, and integrity, and with the CVs of new ministers and MPs. But the concerns about the equation between seats won versus votes cast can only underline the case for electoral reform. And the historically low turn out of voters (51%) indicates that “hidden behind the celebration of Labour’s ‘landslide’ win is a depressing disfranchisement” especially of people who feel left behind, powerless to change their lives, and skeptical of all politicians.
A paper by Smith and Woodhead 2018 traced the associations between religious identity and the voting patterns in the Brexit Referendum of 2016. More recently survey data (pre election) from Theos Religion Counts: What do the religious think about key election issues? breaks down attitudes to poverty and immigration by faith identity and practice. Nominal Anglicans in particular come out as the least progressive. For the general election of July 2024 we are waiting to see a detailed statistical analysis of exit polls, but first impressions show religious identity is significant, and still sometimes divisive.
The constituency results (see this BBC news page for maps of the results and party vote shares by constituency) clearly have some correlation with the 2021 census (voluntary) question on religion (which is a very basic one indicating nothing more than a household identifying with a particular religious category or “no religion”). Looking at area based data for religion (which can be done on this ONS census map page) needs to be done with caution, especially when constituency boundaries do not match the local authority areas which are reported in census data. However, having looked at the Census data on religion in England and Wales only for a forthcoming research paper, a few things stand out, and generate some hypotheses for further investigation.
Areas with the highest proportion of “No Religion” produced some interesting results. Two of the Green MPs are in cities which are top of the “no religion” league (Brighton (55% No religion) and Bristol (51%). No religion in these cities correlates with a population with high proportions of young graduates and professional, and significantly large LGBTQI communities. The other two Green MPs were elected in more rural areas in Suffolk and Herefordshire, where “no religion” rates were around or slightly above average, but with little religious diversity. It is possible tactical voting may have played a part here.
But Reform MPs were elected in Ashfield which is also in the top five districts for “no religion” (around 50%) while Clacton, Boston, Basildon and Great Yarmouth are also above average no religion but also well above average Christian. All these constituencies, and many others where Reform came second with a high proportion of votes, (in places such as Hull and the North east of England) are very undiverse religiously, with a white majority, older electorate, and a more working class history. They also strongly voted “leave” in the Brexit referendum.
On the other hand the areas recording the highest proportion of Christians are in South Lancashire and Merseyside. They have low levels of religious diversity but had massive proportions of Labour votes, and poor performances by Reform. This is perhaps associated with strong residual Roman Catholic loyalties.
In constituencies with high proportions of Muslim voters the Labour vote share was generally lower than previously, with the war in Gaza being a salient issue and favoured independent (“Muslim Vote”) candidates. In many of these constituencies the campaigning was reported as being brutal and frightening. Independents ousted Labour from Blackburn, Dewsbury and Batley, Birmingham Perry Barr and Leicester South. However, in most multicultural constituencies Labour held on to their seats, for example in East Ham veteran evangelical MP Sir Stephen Timms held on with a reduced majority, but still commanded 51.6% of the votes cast. Leicester East, one of the most religiously diverse constituencies in England was an outlier. It became the only seat the Conservatives took from Labour, with a strong showing from Liberal Democrats and Independents that reduced the Labour vote by nearly 30%. Interestingly Harrow East which is one of the areas with the highest proportion of Hindus in England, is one of a handful of London constituencies that remain in Conservative hands, with only a 1% fall of the Tory vote.
Local Level Analysis from Oldham
This very brief analysis looks at voting patterns within the constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth, which perhaps illustrate the widest diversity of deprivation in an English constituency: in terms of IMD-21, Greenfield in Saddleworth represented the least deprived 97.5% while sections of Glodwick characterise the most deprived 0.8%. About 3.5 miles separate these two areas. But it also illustrates the complexity of seeking to include faith into the analysis. The election turnout was 55%, so down compared to 2019 when 64% of eligible voters actually voted. Oldham generally returns a Labour MP. In 2024, Labour won with 35% of the vote (in 2019 they won, again, with 44%). Reform was second with 19% but in 2019 the principal protest vote went to the Brexit Party which won 6.5%. The Conservatives came third with 17% (40% in 2019). George Galloway’s Workers Party came fourth with 11%. The Liberal Democrats were fifth at nearly 9% (5.2% in 2019). The contributions of faith to these voting choices must remain tentative. And the overlap (or underpinning) of faith occurs within a spectrum expressed in terms of orthodoxy, intensity, geographical distribution and, of course, those actual faiths expressed.
Wealthier areas voted Conservative, as seen most obviously in the largely white areas of Saddleworth albeit with an increased Liberal presence. The Labour vote there was not small, which might reflect tactical voting, for example to counter Reform. Greater numbers attend Church in these areas than the regional average, but the paucity of good secondary education complicates these analyses: strong anecdotal evidence suggests many of those attending Church do so to earn ‘points’ for school entry. Seeking a correlation between voting preference and Church attendance will be easier here than correlations between voting and faith conviction.
In the poorest white areas, the Labour vote also decreased, generally to Reform. In terms of IMD, these areas typically evince lower educational attainment, health, and employment. Many local people describe themselves as ‘Christian’ but few attend a Church, which has been described ‘a bequeathed Christian background’ but could, conversely, result from working countless hours in the gig-economy.
Oldham has many Asian-majority areas (most of predominantly Pakistan heritage but some having a majority with Bangladeshi heritage). Very high Mosque attendance contrasts with tiny Church attendance, as expected. These areas experienced a swing from Labour to the Workers Party and, similarly, at the local elections in May, a Workers Party member won in the previously safe Labour ward of Waterhead, East Oldham (but stood as an independent). Conversations ‘on the doorsteps’ suggest the war in Gaza triggered this transfer of allegiance, so the situation in Oldham illustrates a national phenomenon in miniature. The Labour vote was highest in what are, for this constituency, middle-income areas that tend to be multi-ethnic, white–Asian. Anecdotal evidence in these areas suggests both tactical voting and relatively high Church- and Mosque-attendances. The Reform vote was fairly substantial across Oldham as a whole but lower in the more affluent areas. Finally, Oldham has many African members who generally live in the poorer areas. A great many have a strong, vibrant, Christian faith those who are asylum seekers cannot vote.
Revd Dr Paul Monk is Vicar of the Anglican Churches of Clarksfield: St Barnabas’ and Waterhead: Holy Trinity, both in Oldham. He is also Vicar of Glodwick and Assistant Curate at St Thomas’ Church, Moorside. Paul is also on the Board of Trustees for the William Temple Foundation.
Greg Smith is a Senior Research Fellow for thew William Temple Foundation who has worked for over 40 years in urban mission, community development and social research. Greg is now retired.
The William Temple Foundation is delighted to announce a Keynote Public Lecture by Professor James Walters where he will consider the role of faith in British society within the context of global trends towards religious nationalism and escalating conflict. This lecture represents the centre piece of the Virtual Festival of Public Theology which the Foundation is running over the weekend of 21st and 22nd of June 2024.
Prof Walters will address the dramatic expansion of religious diversity and plurality in the UK and the issues they raise in policy and cultural debates, not least as British communities navigate the effects of the conflict in the Middle East. Professor Walters will highlight some of the challenges but also opportunities that lie ahead for the future of relations between Faith and State and wider society as we rebuild the social and economic fabric of our nation. The political and theological implications of this vision will be discussed by a panel of William Temple Foundation Research Fellows and Trustees including Prof Simon Lee, Prof Chris Baker, Dr Saiyyidah Zaidi and Revd Dr Ericsson Mapfumo.
Prof Chris Baker, Director off the William Temple Foundation has said of the lecture,
‘We are delighted to welcome Jim’s lecture as the centrepiece for our Festival of Public Theology. Jim is one of the foremost voices reflecting on the role of faith and belief in the public square in the UK and beyond, and how its relationship with wider society may evolve in the context of unfolding uncertainty and challenge.’
This public lecture is part of the William Temple Festival of Public Theology which will take place on 21-22 June 2024. The Festival offers an innovative online programme of short courses about theology, plurality and activism in public life. Building on the earlier traditions of William Temple College, it draws on current research and expertise of scholars affiliated with theWilliam Temple Foundation. To learn more about the Festival of Public Theology and to register free for the lecture by Prof Walters, go to eventbrite, here.
On Friday 26th April 2024, the William Temple Foundation hosted a roundtable in partnership with Liverpool Hope University, exploring an emerging interdisciplinary agenda framed in terms of “Radical Hope”.
This gathering welcomed leaders from across civil society. Bishop John Arnold, Catholic Bishop of Salford, joined us. Bishop John leads the response to the climate crisis by the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) Ian Markham was present. We were deeply fortunate to have partners from the region including Diocese of Manchester and Manchester Cathedral represented by Rev Grace Thomas, Poverty Research and Advocacy Network represented by Dr Natalija Atas and Liverpool Hope University represented by Rev Julia Pratt, Prof Peter McGrail, Prof Stephen Shakespeare. The gathering was framed using two papers: one by William Temple Foundation Chair, Prof Simon Lee, and one by Foundation Research Fellow Dr Matthew Barber-Rowell, which combined to offer a basis from which to respond to the devastation being caused in the public square.
Prof Lee set out three framings of hope,
Running Streams of Hope: inspired by the quote by Cardinal Suenens ’To hope is not to dream but to turn dreams into reality’, which encouraged a more grounded and determined sense of hope within political, national and institutional life.
Ripples of Hope: inspired by the words of Robert F Kennedy, “Each time you stand up for an ideal, or act to improve the lot of others, or strike out against injustice, you send forth a tiny ripple of hope and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance”
Deep-Freezing Hope: which took inspiration from Chief Plenty Coups of the Crow People in America, who set down his headdress and coup stick as a symbol of the end of an era in the life of his people, whilst holding on to the Dream they represent for future generations to take up. This account is given in Jonathan Lear’s Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation.
Following this, Dr Barber-Rowell offered three approaches to unearthing and building hope:
Curating Spaces of Hope: This is a pioneering new paradigm of faith based organisation which has emerged in north west England since 2016 and was the subject of Dr Barber-Rowell’s PhD thesis. Spaces of Hope utilises new materialism inspired by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari to mapping our lived experiences, making sense of how to find hope and build resilience when things break down, and to integrate these into new dialogues, movements, networks and partnerships of hope across difference. This approach offers a 21st Century update to William Temple’s consultative methodology set out in Christianity and Social Order
A turn to Radical Hope: This turn is characterised in three ways. 1) Curating Spaces of Hope interdisciplinary approach and use of new materialism offers synergies with the Radical Theology* developed by Jeffrey Robbins and Clayton Crockett. 2) A new social movements methodology which locates it within the radical democratic tradition. This is characterised by Bert Klandermans as: a) different constituencies, b) a search for values, and c) different forms of action which are non-hierarchical and open to brokering relationship between communities and ‘institutions’. 3) developing understandings of leadership through dialogue with the work of Antonio Gramsci and his writings on traditional and organic intellectuals in his Prison Notebooks.
Emerging Hope: Four applications of Curating Spaces of Hope were offered from across the north west of England from 2022 – present. 1) Ecologies of Hope: development of technical mapping and lay leadership resources in the Diocese of Manchester which respond to the climate crisis and the challenge of reaching Net Zero by 2030. 2) From poverty to Hope in the city: cocreation of a vision and strategy for eradicating poverty in the city of Liverpool with Liverpool Chanty and Voluntary Services and its members. 3) Politics of Hope: responding to the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers associated with the Dialogue Society by offering space with others from their community to share their story and to acknowledge their own ‘woundedness’ (Weller, 2022). 4) Hope in Higher Education: working from the margins of Liverpool Hope University using dialogue to map and respond to working culture, working practices and the role of faith in higher education and to issue calls for change to the Mission and Values Committee of the University.
The panels that followed developed on these framings and approaches through interdisciplinary papers responding to crises shaping the public square in the 21st Century namely ecological crises, poverty, politics crises and institutional crisis with focus on Higher Education. On hearing reports from the gathering, William Temple Foundation Director Prof Chris Baker later characterised the gathering as a ‘micro-Malvern’, which is a reference to the 1941 gathering chaired by Archbishop William Temple which sought to find solutions to the crises of the day, drawing on shared faith and speaking into public life in response to an unjust economic context. This is a welcome comparison, but with some necessary updates. The panel of delegates at Hope in April 2024 represents a much more demographically diverse gathering. Further, the agendas discussed were not centred around the economic struggles of the day. Panels on ecology, education, politics and poverty provided a rich and interdisciplinary seedbed from which roots and shoots of hope could form. Further, drawing on the ideas of Gramsci and the evidence from the Spaces of Hope movement, the emerging agenda is being formed by both organic and traditional leaders and positionalities. Our agenda was less about the nation and more about our local context defined by communities and institutions in the north west of England across the M62 corridor, although this was put in theoretical, national and international contexts by diverse participants.
This gathering sits alongside and develops upon others from 2022 which reflected on Christianity and Social Order, its place in history, and ways in which we might envision a similar agenda in the Temple Tradition for 21st Century Britain which puts pressure on government from below to produce morally robust engagement with the common good. This was developed most recently at Blackburn Cathedral in 2022 and covered in the 2023 Special Issue of Journal of Church and State edited by Dr Yazid Said.
With this in mind we thank Bishop John Arnold from the Catholic Diocese of Salford for his presence and contributions throughout. We were globally networked through the generous contributions from Ian Markham who flew in to join us from Virgina Theological Seminary, Dr Hirpo Kumbi representing pioneering faith based education and partnerships in Ethiopia, as well as Prof Edward Abbott-Halpin, a William Temple Foundation Trustee, who commuted for 11-hours from Orkney to be with us. We also thank Dr Yazid Said and Dr Barber-Rowell for organising the gathering and to Prof Guy Cuthbertson and Prof Peter McGrail for hosting us.
We will publish the papers from this gathering in a number of forms. These include, as a Podcast, and as a Temple Book. We will then also look ahead to how we might continue to grow a movement of Radical Hope.
We are delighted to share that the William Temple Foundation has appointed six new trustees. A call was issued in December 2023 for expressions of interest and following a process of discernment led by our existing board, 6 new trustees were invited to their first board meeting on 22nd March. Our new trustees are: Rev Dr Paul Monk, Rev Dr Deirdre Brower Latz, Ian Mayer DL, Rev Dr Ericsson Mapfumo, Tariq Mahmood, and Prof Edward Abbott-Halpin. As a public theology think tank, we have been encouraged by the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary experience that has been made available to us through our diverse Board. In the months to come there will be opportunity for you to get to know new trustees via our website and through public offerings as part of our developing programme of work. Responding to the appointments,
Chair of the Board Prof Simon Lee said, ‘More than one hundred years after he first became a bishop, William Temple is still a symbol of faith in the public square seeking justice and hope for all. This Foundation, taking forward the spirit of his life’s work, is blessed to welcome a new cohort of trustees as we widen and deepen our work in partnerships.’
Director of Research Prof Chris Baker said, “It’s truly humbling but also inspiring to welcome such a dynamic set of new Trustees to the board, who bring a wide variety of skills and experience in public and community life, and leadership. Building on expertise already available in the Trustee board, this represents a really optimistic moment in the next evolution of the Foundation’s mission.“
The William Temple Foundation is very pleased to partner with Faith and Belief Forum in a pioneering six month training program aimed at nurturing and developing future leaders from a variety of different faith and belief backgrounds. The course ambition is to up-skill young leaders in the art of campaigning for social change and to develop policies to reflect those ambitions. At the end of the program there will be a presentation in Parliament on a campaign of the participants choice in June 2024.
The Foundation via Professor Chris Baker and Dr Saiyyidah Zaidi is providing input into the history of faith based campaigning around issues such as formation of the welfare state and how identity impacts self-leadership and advocacy. This allows us to draw upon historical resources such as William Temple’s thinking and leadership as well as contemporary sources and experiences such as narrative development, leadership skills, and communication. Future sessions being delivered by the Foundation are: ‘faith, justice, and welfare;’ ‘creating momentum for change and measuring human capabilities;’ and ‘belief, belonging and motivation.’
This project represents for the Foundation a new and exciting opportunity to facilitate dialogue among and between young people, youth-focussed organisations, faith-based organisations and decision-makers across the political landscape to explore how to address cross-community tensions.
For more information please contact: Professor Chris Baker chris@williamtemplefoundation.org.uk and Dr Saiyyidah Zaidi sz@saiyyidah.com
The William Temple Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Fellows for 2024. Our Fellowship is designed to reflect and enhance the innovative and interdisciplinary scholarship and practice that we offer through our work across the UK. With this in mind it is our pleasure to welcome Dr Saiyyidah Zaidi and Natalie Law.
Dr Saiyyidah Zaidi joins us as a Senior Research Fellow. She enhances the Foundation through her pioneering approach to Practical Theology as the first Muslim in Britain to complete a PhD in the subject. The title of Saiyyidah’s thesis was “This is the sound of my soul: seeking belonging and inclusion in practical theology“. Her other professional interests draw on her background as an architect and her current practice coaching leadership with senior professionals. You can read more about Saiyyidah here.
Natalie Law joins us as a Research Fellow. Natalie is based at the University of London where she lecturers in Social Studies at Goldsmiths College and is completing her PhD at Southbank. Natialie’s work ensures the voices of marginalized and excluded community groups are heard. This work covers themes from, the faith based coping mechanisms of the Windrush generation, to Black female students exploring and negotiating intersectional and marginalised spiritual, religious and cultural identities within higher education and Community and Youth Work. You can read more about Natalie here.
William Temple Foundation Director, Prof. Chris Baker said, “I am delighted and privileged to be able to welcome Saiyyidah and Natalie to the Foundation. Both will enrich our output and presence through their innovative writing, extensive networking and progressive research agendas. It’s an excellent way to start 2024.“
We are delighted to announce the release of Issue 65 of the Journal of Church and State on William Temple and the Rebuilding of the Public Square in Post-Pandemic Britain. This special issue, explores the contributions of William Temple to the formation of a post-war Britain as exemplified by his seminal text Christianity and Social Order, and sets out a progressive and hopeful agenda for 2024 and beyond. The journal, co-edited by Rev Dr Yazid Said of Liverpool Hope University and a Trustee of William Temple Foundation, offers articles from Christian, Jewish and Muslim perspectives, critiquing the historical influence of Archbishop William Temple, and issuing a call to action to engage politically with the local and national concerns shaping our public squares in Britain today.
The journal comprises a diversity of contributions from different worldviews and interdisciplinary perspectives including many scholars associated with the William Temple Foundation namely, Prof Chris Baker, Dr Ekaterina Braginskaia, Dr Matthew Barber-Rowell, Dr David Shaw and Dr Yazid Said. The journal also includes contributions from Nathan Eddy and Steve Williams from the Council of Christians and Jews, as well as esteemed Islamic scholar and practitioner Prof Mohamed M Keshavjee. We are also deeply grateful to Rowan Williams and Tim Winter for offering engaged and expert responses to the diverse range of contributions, which authenticate and champion the agenda we are setting out.
Regarding this publication, Prof Chris Baker Director of the William Temple Foundation said, We are deeply grateful to Dr Yazid Said for his vision and determination in bringing this conference and publication about, which recognises in fresh and contemporary ways the historical relevance of Temple’s thought to both the NorthWest of England and those from the Abrahamic traditions
The Serendipity of Hope ed. Simon Lee and Ian Markham. Pickwick Publications. USA. English. 292 pages. ISBN 1666737062
“Serendipity of Hope offers a compelling vision of what our colleges and universities might look like if they rediscover, and honour in action, the founding values and legacies” (Gareth Jones, Theological Education Advisor to the Archbishop of Hong Kong).
This quote from Jones from the back cover of the book, speaks to the value that can be found in this volume. With this review, I will seek to honour the spirit of story and peripheral experience at the heart of the book, to open up the opportunity that it presents for institutions today.
I first came across this edited volume in its very early stages of development in 2020. I had just moved to Liverpool, and I had just heard of Liverpool Hope University. The William Temple Foundation had just taken on a new research fellow, Dr Sanjee Perera, and it was via a tweet from Dr Perera that I became aware of this new project on “hope”. Hope is a theme in my work, and so I went digging and I managed to wangle an invite to a learning day, hosted by Professor Lee the former Rector at Hope, which was the basis for this book. I was allowed to listen in from the periphery, to a series of papers reflecting on “hope” at Hope over the previous 25 years. I was encouraged by the experience, and having recently submitted my PhD, I was left with the question, what about the next 25 years? Since attending this gathering, I’ve become an Honorary Fellow at Hope, where I have engaged in postdoctoral research both within the University and in the city of Liverpool. I have explored the question of whether we are Hope by name and “hope” by nature? There is a definite synergy between this volume; The Serendipity of Hope, and my work. I will publish on this synergy elsewhere. However with this in mind, I was lucky to attend the launch of the book at Lambeth Palace on 3rd November 2023. This gathering brought together authors from the book, and people with a fresh association with Liverpool Hope including myself, a recently minted PhD exploring faith-based universities in Ethiopia where Higher Education is otherwise secular in nature, and the new Vice Chancellor at Hope Professor Claire Ozanne. It was fitting that the volume was formulated and then launched in gatherings such as these, as it speaks to the sense of nurture, and journey which are at the centre of the book.
In chapter 1, Professor Lee characterises this using the language of “alma mater” where mater translates as mother, but taken together, the translation has a broader sense of nurture. Lee argues that this sense is not just for the period of being on campus, or being within the institution, but something which can set people up for the future. There are clear examples throughout. In chapter 11, this theme was picked up in a chapter on motherhood. Dr Vicky Baker explores twin threads of present experience as a ‘home engineer’ (p169) where she cares for her son, and her experience of teaching at Hope. Baker recollects that she was attracted to Hope by the staff team (her PhD was supervised by Professor Ian Markham) and the ecumenical foundation the University has. However she was contending with being homesick. The chapter sets out the nurturing role that Markham and Lee offered Baker, which exemplified the nurture Lee speaks of, and enabled Baker to continue her professional life, whilst also overcoming her homesickness. Baker concludes with reference to her own role with her son today, to bring the account full circle and to symbolise the affect of nurture as part of motherhood.
Articulating “hope” through lived experience is a key thread throughout. In chapter 6 Dr Perera highlights this in the contexts of crisis. A key example is from the Toxteth riots in the 1980s and the responses of Bishop David Shepherd and Archbishop Derek Worlock, who bought their friendship and vocation together to seek the common good in the city of Liverpool. Perera points to many other examples of what she terms as ‘pro-social responses’ from the social sciences, but highlights that the pursuit of hope, the inherent risk therein and the potential it offers, are often missing from these. We are directed instead to what she characterised as ‘pedagogies of hope’ which transcend secular constructions of social life within institutions and offer something more. This sense of something more flows through the volume and is found once again in chapter 9, via emphasis on journey, characterised as the Camino of Hope by Sean Gallagher. This chapter is the first publication for the now retired Director of Finance from Hope from Lee’s era in the early 2000s. An anecdote, which was shared at the launch, regarded Gallagher’s volunteering at the Liverpool Hope Internet café at the Albert Dock on the waterfront in Liverpool. As the Director of Finance, Sean spent his Sunday afternoon helping people at the cafe, which came to the attention of what turned out to be Dr Perera’s father. Sean’s volunteering and commitment at the periphery of the University stood out and was the basis for Sanjee being sent to study at Hope, her PhD at Hope, and nurturing relationships set out in the text that span over 25 years, and many more instances besides. There are many other chapters of great interest, which speak to the diversity, and pioneering nature of an institution, which is premised on bringing together and overcoming differences from the past to shape the present and offer hope for the future.
Chapter 19, the final chapter, is offered by the co-editor of the volume Ian Markham and Joe Thompson. As a former Head of Theology at Liverpool Hope, and current Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), Markham is well placed to honour the distinctiveness of how a University’s past relates to the way things are done in the present, and what they might bring to the future. He concludes the opening section with a quote from the writer of the book of James in the Bible, “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only”, and characterises it as the ethos of Hope (p.268). In this way, this final chapter on reparations, highlights the way in which Hope inspired Markham and hints at how this flows through into the work he leads at VTS today. Whilst VTS is characterised in the chapter as “the strongest seminary or theological college, in the Anglican Communion” (p.268), it has also been complicit in the slave trade. The story of VTS can help understand reparations as not just a case of moving some statues and putting up some signs containing context of who and what continues to be honoured on campus, but rather as something much more embodied, pointing to how institutions should and could work. Markham offers a powerful and welcome challenge for faith based institutions and others contributing to public life, and one which gives my question regards the next 25 years, fresh emphasis and traction!
How do we pick up the question of “hope” and sense of nurture, which prepare us for the crises that we experience along life’s journey? How do we do this in a way, which is realistic about what has gone before whilst putting things right which have gone wrong, and offering space for a new generation to pick up the baton? With these questions in mind, in the context of deep set institutional changes in the United Kingdom today and around the world, this volume has much to offer.
Dr Matthew Barber-Rowell is an Honorary Postdoctoral Fellow at Liverpool Hope University, Research Fellow at the William Temple Foundation and Founder of Spaces of Hope.
It is with great pleasure that the Foundation can announce the appointment of Dr Matthew Barber-Rowell as its new Communications Officer. Matthew has a long association and knowledge of the work of the Foundation having been the first of our William Temple Scholars to achieve their doctorate back in 2021, and now currently one of our Research Fellows. Matthew is currently based in Liverpool with his wife Phoebe and his son Benjamin. Matthew has a varied portfolio of work which is focussed on developing local leadership that responds to global crises and explores approaches to building resilience. This portfolio includes Ecological Transformation with Diocese of Manchester including the launch of Eco Stepping Stones, postdoctoral research at Liverpool Hope University considering the role of faith in higher education, and consultancy work for example a recent piece with Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services, co-creating a vision and strategy for eradicating poverty in the city.
Dr Barber-Rowell says, ‘I am delighted to be taking on this new role with the William Temple Foundation. I recognise the distinctive role the Foundation plays in shaping interdisciplinary engagement, dialogue, leadership and policy regards faith in public life in the UK. I relish the prospect of contributing to this by amplifying the great work of the Foundation, its fellows and partners, in my time here’.
Professor Chris Baker, Director of Research for the Foundation responds, ‘It is great to welcome Matthew into this role. Matthew will bring not only the technical aspects of this role, but also a deep understanding of public theology and policy based on his pioneering research and consultancy as the founder of Spaces of Hope. We are very privileged to have someone of his skills and experience undertaking this role’.
In early 2022, I was the inaugural recipient of the William Temple Foundation Postdoctoral Award. Twelve months on, I am writing to share some of what has happened following the award. There are a number of strands to what is now an established postdoctoral agenda. Here I will share one strand, which covers work that is emerging with the Dialogue Society in Liverpool, beginning with a community Iftar in April.
The Fellows’ Award has been developed using a legacy from Len Collinson, former Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside, Honorary Professor of the University of Central Lancashire, and business leader in northwest England. Collinson recognised that enterprise and interdisciplinary partnerships were central tenets of a flourishing society. Prof. Simon Lee, Chair of the William Temple Foundation, said of the award:
“A core part of the Foundation’s work has been supporting William Temple Scholars as they pursue their doctoral studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. Trustees have now committed to encouraging Scholars, once they have been awarded their PhD, to apply their research in society.”
In this spirit, I have begun to utilise the award to explore how dialogue can inform leadership and shared values in Liverpool, in uncertain times. The full project is set out in three blogs, the first of which can be found here. Following a call for participation, a connection with the Dialogue Society was established, which then connected me with volunteers who had recently moved to Liverpool.
For those who have not heard of it, the Dialogue Society is an international network that supports local Branches to establish associations in cities and to gather interested parties together to share. This is often done over food using an Iftar as a basis for a gathering. The Dialogue Society has drawn on the inspiration of the Hizmet Movement, a Turkish Muslim inspired approach to dialogue. Where a Branch is present it will convene meetings outside of the Iftar. In Liverpool there is not a Branch at present, but there is interest in establishing one.
In May 2022, I convened a dialogue in Liverpool. We met using Zoom, attracting attendance from Turkish muslim asylum seekers who had moved to Liverpool during the pandemic. The dialogue lasted for two hours and we explored questions of hope, barriers to hope and what might be done to overcome these barriers in the city. In response, themes included the safety and education of their children, loss of loved ones, the limitations created by a language barrier, and the stress and insecurity of being in an unknown city in an unknown country.
One respondent noted that this was the first time they had been offered space to reflect on their journeys and the difficulties they faced. One attendee noted that they would want to say a great deal more than their English could allow them too. They asked for the opportunity to write down their feelings and their experiences and to share these with those gathered with the hope that it could develop an opportunity for further reflection. Those gathered expressed a deep resilience to overcome barriers and to connect with people in the new communities they were part of. The small actions of others, a phone call from a friend in turkey, a cup of tea from a fellow community member in the city they have moved to were significant.
What had become clear is that through the transition into the UK the group gathered had found a new appreciation for the role social connection plays in their lives. They noted that they had lost work (in business and science and education) but gained a sense of togetherness and common humanity. This offered the basis for gatherings to continue, exploring a common humanity with others in the city to which they have just moved, not limited by their own preconceptions and worldviews per se, but finding common and shared ground with those communities that had welcomed them in to contribute to the place in which they now live.
This dialogue has become the basis for further gatherings that are taking place in 2023. The first of these is on the 12th April, when Dialogue Society and Spaces of Hope will convene a community Iftar at the Pal Multicultural Centre in Liverpool. We will continue to develop the dialogue we began in 2022, exploring the theme of hope and whether it would be a fruitful thing to do to establish a Branch of the Dialogue Society in Liverpool. Our focus on hope is a response to the many uncertainties we live with today. These include the cost of living crisis, the energy crisis, the pandemic, climate change, and many more. The goal is to facilitate resilience in the city, with people from across different communities, with different beliefs, values, and worldviews in curating a more hopeful place to live.
If you are in Liverpool and wish to attend the gathering, you are welcome to RSVP to Matthew at matthew@spacesofhope.co.uk by 31st March 2023.
