Running through the Bible and Christian thought is the conviction that the idea of covenant lies at the heart of God’s relationship with human beings. It is therefore at the heart of how we as peoples relate to one another. ‘Better together’ is almost an echo of ‘It is not good for a human being to be alone’ in the book of Genesis. Therefore, any covenanted relationship based on mutual trust, fidelity, common purpose, interdependence and a care for one another’s welfare is always better than being independent and alone. The breakup of the united kingdom of Israel and Judah was regarded as a disaster by the prophets because it flew in the face of a covenant between peoples.
This is why I think that for Scotland to say no to the Union of which we have all been a part for 300 years would not only be a tragedy, but also a denial of a hard-won principle of human society that the United Kingdom expresses. The point is not whether Scotland could be a successful, prosperous nation on its own. I am sure it could. But the Christian ideals of mutuality, partnership and service surely point in the opposite direction from narrow nationalisms and self-interest. They suggest that we should be reinvigorating the relationships between us, not dismantling them.
The United Kingdom is not a perfect union: far from it. The English have a long history of treating the Scots with disdain, even contempt. Durham Cathedral, ‘half church of God, half castle ‘gainst the Scot’ in Sir Walter Scott’s famous words, epitomises an often violent, destructive relationship. We English need to repent of this, and start treating Scotland as an equal partner in the Union.
There has been a fascinating documentary on recently tracing the story of the formation of England under the Anglo Saxon Kings Alfred to Aethelstan from seven pagan kingdoms who were often at war. The creation of one country started with the union of the Christian kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia and proceded by war, treaty, marriage and friendship to extend to the other Anglo Saxon and even the Viking kingdoms under the Danelaw who converted at the same time to Christianity. Union and peace advanced hand in hand with the Gospel. Then peace was made with Welsh, Irish and Scottish rulers around the same time as Christianity spread throughout the Isles.
It is significant that our flag is composed of crosses of various saints and emphasises that it was a common Christian faith which bound both the crosses on the Union Flag and the country which became England first, then the United Kingdom formed from England, Wales and Scotland under James VI of Scotland who became James I of England, and who gave us the King James Bible translation, long before the two parliaments joined, and of Great Britain and Ireland when the Irish and their parliament were integrated in the 19th century.
I don’t think it is a coincidence that as Christianity has become unstuck as the glue binding our society together, that our country has become unstuck and the crosses on our flag are being pulled apart.
Public life here has deteriorated rapidly in the last few years, as ethics and faith has been sidelined and even euthanasia of the very young and the very old and ill is being pushed in a program antithetical to Christian belief in the sanctity and value of life, and families are under attack. There is great disillusionment with our leaders who no longer follow God, but their own self-interest and feel free to attack religion as this British government has done in a manner unimaginable just a few years ago by legislating against Christian belief and even putting government lawyers in to oppose the rights of Christians at work or to wear crosses.
Michael Sadgrove rightly points to the coming apart of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. What is left unspoken is that while the Bible is the story of the rejection and reconciliation after exile of the people of Israel, the unspoken part is the story of the exile of the people of the Northern Kingdom who never returned from exile, and who disappeared from the pages of history.
We should not take for granted that turning our back on God and on one another will necessarily be capable of restoration or free of consequences. We should not take Him for granted, though He is merciful and very very good.
It would be good to join in the prayers I have heard requested in the last few days from distressed Scottish Christians. Thank you Dean Sadgrove for speaking truth to power.
Pageantmaster writes:
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I don’t think it is a coincidence that as Christianity has become unstuck as the glue binding our society together, that our country has become unstuck and the crosses on our flag are being pulled apart.
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Good point!