The Mayflower Declaration
Reproduced by permission of Peter Flower, chairman of the Christian Peoples Alliance
Our Common Christian Faith
We believe that God is the creator of all things and the source of all good. God
has made us to worship Him, and to live in love, justice and peace with one another
and His Creation. However, our lives are marked by sin, which distorts our
relationship with God, with each other, and with the natural world.
Yet God does not abandon us in our failure, but in His love has met with us in
Jesus Christ. Through His life, death and resurrection, as scripture reveals,
Jesus Christ has opened the way to reconciliation with God, and has triumphed
over the power of death. We believe that the Holy Spirit is present and seeks
to guide us, to lead us to right living, and to bear witness to the truth.
A Christian Contribution to Politics
We believe that Jesus Christ calls us to follow him in every area of our lives,
including the realm of politics. We recognise that the Kingdom of God cannot
be simply identified with any political cause; but we affirm that it demands
the pursuit of just government and the promotion of a well-ordered society.
We reject the idea that religion is merely the individual's private affair.
We regard all of life as subject to the rule of Christ. The Christian faith
has been fundamental to British society and of irreplaceable import and
influence in the process of shaping the character of our nation. Hence we
bear a responsibility both to challenge and to affirm the social and political
order in accordance with our understanding of orthodox Christian principles.
Understanding Our Times
We believe that under God the well being of society should be judged more by the
quality of human relationships than by material attainments, more by the richness
of human lives than by the abundance of possessions, and more by the realisation
of human values as expressed in scripture than by the accomplishments of technology.
We acknowledge and give thanks to God for the many privileges that we enjoy today:
the relative stability of our political institutions; the recognition of many civil
rights and liberties, comparative economic prosperity; the many advances in
industry, science and technology; and the continuing availability of social,
educational and health services.
However, we also recognise that our nation has failed in many ways to live as God
requires. Our society is marred by economic exploitation, poverty, homelessness,
family breakdown, neglect of the elderly, child abuse, destruction of the unborn,
exploitation of women, racism, violence, crime, drug and alcohol abuse, excessive
personal debt, complacency about global suffering and injustice between nations,
and careless ravaging of the natural world. Ours is a nation where too often
selfishness is rewarded and responsibilities are evaded, and where the fear,
loneliness and unhappiness of some are met by the ignorance and indifference
of others.
We wholeheartedly affirm the value of industry and commerce and the importance of
a productive economy for a nation's well being. Nevertheless we find it inadequate
to measure the health of society in terms of the growth of the gross national
product, growth of the information society and e-commerce, and globalisation, or to
attribute its greatest problems merely to such causes as poor economic performance,
problems with the welfare state, and long-term industrial decline. The fact that many
of our technical and economic solutions serve only to exacerbate the problems confirm
that deeper diagnosis is necessary.
There are mistaken beliefs to which we have succumbed and idols before which we
have bowed. We have placed our faith in humanly desired possibilities of self-sufficient
science and technology. We have invested our hopes in the quest for endless economic
growth. And, to give meaning to our lives, we have turned to the promise of individual
freedom, happiness and prosperity, or have found our identity in collective groups
such as state, nation or class. Beneath it all, we have deceived ourselves into thinking
that we can solve our problems without reference to God and His good purposes for us.
It is time to break with these false notions and to recognise our need for an individual
and corporate change of heart and mind.
The Meaning of Christian Democracy
The Christian Democratic tradition of thought, in our understanding of it, takes its
bearings from Christian convictions about the person, society, and political authority.
According to these, the fundamental worth of each human being is derived from being made
in the image of God. True human fulfilment is understood as responsible freedom in
relation to others, and is found in the development of persons in society.
A society should embody an ethos which is neither selfishly individualistic in sanctioning
the pursuit of private satisfactions to the detriment of duties towards others, nor
tyrranous in supporting the demands of the state or other collective bodies at the expense
of the rightful claims of the individual. Instead it should create and nurture a spirit
which respects the freedom and integrity of social and cultural institutions such as the
family, the school, religious organisations, trade unions and business enterprise, thereby
serving to equip citizens to pursue the common good together.
The fundamental role of political authority is to ensure justice in the public realm and
to create conditions conducive to the common good. The exercise of power by the state must
always be equitable and limited, and should be directed to promoting just relations between
individuals, associations, communities, and other groups, whilst also respecting their
proper independence.
Although bearers of political authority have the responsibility of encouraging the good,
and rectifying injustice, it is beyond the competence of government to remedy every social
ill, and indeed it is the duty of government not to undertake tasks that are the
responsibility of family, church, or other spheres of authority where this could be
properly fulfilled.
Democratic participation enlarges the horizons of people, empowers them as citizens and
limits the power of governments. The expression of opinion through representative
elections, political parties, public debate and loyal opposition, together with respect
for political office and open and accountable government, are intrinsic to responsible
democracy. No party or grouping may claim special legal privileges. While Christian
Democrat thinking rejects secularism as a public ideology, it does not seek a governing
role for any one church denomination. We recognise the role of the Christian faith
in shaping the liberties our nation enjoys. Though we want Christianity to continue to
be our established religion, we affirm that it also requires the state to acknowledge
the rights of religious and cultural minorities and to treat them equitably in public
policy. We welcome the diverse faith communities present in our nation.
With regard to the economy, democratic responsibility implies that the economy should
not be controlled either by the state, or by business and finance, but should build
up the contribution and mutual responsibilities of everyone. Economic activity should
serve people rather than dominate them. The full personal, social and ecological
implications of national and international market activity need to be recognised,
rather than merely private or accounting calculations. Inequitable and unfair
patterns of distribution need redressing. Our emphasis is therefore on the state's
concern with justice and right structures rather than economic performance alone.
Reworking the Foundations
We do not imagine that in Christian Democracy we possess simple solutions to the
problems of our country. Nevertheless we firmly believe that Christianity can make
an important contribution to the well being of society, and that membership of the
Christian Peoples Alliance is an appropriate way of affirming this. For this reason
we commit ourselves to the following six guiding principles which highlight some
basic themes of Christian Democracy.
Justice
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Justice is ultimately founded in the character of God and its content is given by
divine law. Under this law all men and women are due equal respect and have
responsibilities to one another and to wider society. Social justice demands an
equal regard for all and consequently a special concern for the needs of the poor,
the suffering and the powerless. It requires that exploitation and deprivation be
fought, and that appropriate resources and opportunities be available so that the
basic requirements of all are met and each is enabled to take part in the life of
society.
Respect for Life
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Human beings are created in the image of God. The right to life is the most basic of all
human rights and the intrinsic value of every human life at every stage from conception
to natural death should be acknowledged and respected. We therefore especially affirm
the fundamental dignity of those who are unborn, infirm, mentally or physically disabled,
elderly, or unable to speak for themselves. Such respect for human persons also requires
a commitment to maintaining a decent quality of life for all, and to meeting the needs
of all those who for whatever reason do not have the essentials of life. Moreover it
implies a disavowal of all armaments whose use is incompatible with the pursuit of just
peace.
Reconciliation
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The Kingdom of God is heralded by a community in which all are called to be reconciled in
Christ Jesus. This should be reflected beyond the church in the breaking down of
oppression and divisive barriers related to differences of religion, gender, race, class,
nation, ideology and political power. These problems have their roots in human sin,
expressed through flawed social structures and personal pride and selfishness, which we
Christians too often demonstrate as well. It is a task not only for individuals and
social and economic groups but also for those engaged in politics, at local, national
and international levels, to work towards reconciliation and healing. We recognise that
such goals may never be wholly achieved in this world. Nevertheless, humility, repentance,
patience and forgiveness are political as well as personal values, and are essential
in the process of replacing conflict by common understanding.
Active Compassion
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The God of justice is the God of Love, and human beings are called to active loving
service of others. Instead of an indifference to the distress of others based on
passivity, self-concern or ignorance, such compassionate love inspires an attitude
not only of detached justice but also of open-hearted generosity. We all bear the
responsibility, individually and corporately, for such service to one another. The
government should motivate individuals, families, charities and other associations
to active compassion, and should prompt and assist the community to meet the
fundamental needs of the poor before satisfying the preferences of the rich.
Wise Stewardship
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Human beings are called to be stewards of the Creation, and all economic activity
involves our responsibility before God for the world entrusted to us. Economic
resources are given by God to serve people's needs, to help in the developing their
capacities, particularly for justice, co-operation, and mutual care, and to be used
creatively and with responsible concern for others (including future generations)
and the environment.
Markets are not a law unto themselves, but are shaped by people's decisions. They should
therefore be structured in such a way that economic transactions are fair and are
undertaken in good faith and with the needs of the community in mind. Concentrations of
wealth and power erode responsibility and may cause market distortion. We seek an
economy where banks, businesses, trade unions, professional groups and government
departments work together with greater mutual understanding and public accountability.
The primary task of government in relation to the economy is to oversee the establishment
of just structures in all areas of economic activity; such justice includes maintaining
a sound currency against inflation and encouraging welath creation by gainful employment.
We will discourage continuing dependency on the state welfare provision and gambling so
as to equip all to participate fully in the economy and to use resources in a manner that
respects the created order of the world.
Empowerment
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All authority is from God and must be exercised responsibly in accordance with the
Divine ordinances for society. It is given to enable service of the common good and
use of it distorts its intended purpose. There are spheres of life such as family and
church, in which God has placed authority in structures other than the state. In each
case authority should have its own proper limits and be directed towards serving and
benefiting those under it. We will encourage active participation between the state
and voluntary providers of services.
The accumulation of power may often be necessary for the satisfactory performance of
certain tasks, but it may also foster patterns of control and domination. Consequently
it is wrong to assign to larger organisations what can be adequately done by smaller and
more local associations. In particular, those in whom much power is concentrated, such
as individual owners of wealth, professional interest groups, trade unions, multi-national
corporations, national governments, and leaders of political blocs, while they often
exercise power with great responsibility, may yet need to be called to account in view
of their potential for working against the common good.
Some Goals for the Christian Peoples Alliance
We have outlined the central ideas of Christian Democracy and these six principles in
the belief that they offer a better vision for Britain than those prevalent at this time.
The task of bringing them to bear on the problems of a complex society will require both
vision and patient attention to detail, careful research and wide-ranging discussion.
However, at the outset, we put forward the following as a selection of goals for the
Christian Peoples Alliance, acknowledging that they will need further refinement.
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Education
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To improve the quality, resources and morale of the state system of education.
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To urge the appropriate authorities to make resources available, so that parents
may effectively exercise their right to have children educated in conformity with
their own religious and philosophical convictions, especially in the funding by
the state of new voluntary aided schools.
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Health
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To improve the quality, resources and morale of the state system of healthcare.
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To improve preventative healthcare to increase the health of the nation and reduce
the burden on the NHS.
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Welfare
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To provide resources for methods of welfare provision by discouraging economic
dependency and promoting gainful employment.
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To adopt a holistic approach to care, which moves beyond mere financial provision.
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To provide assistance to people who are in danger of being pushed to the margins
of society, for example the homeless or mentally or physically disabled.
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Employment
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Improving employment prospects by economic, social and physical means.
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To improve the conditions of work to encourage human flourishing and to put people
before profit.
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To seek measures which would aid the genuine participation of employees both in
decisions made by their companies and participation in ownership.
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Housing
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Develop policies to assist the regions to redress economic imbalances, in order to
bring demand for housing into balance.
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To encourage and resource communities to develop holistic planning for neighbourhoods,
and regenerate deprived areas in partnership with the community.
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International Policy
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To develop our role in Europe with full consideration of the costs as well as
benefits. As presently constituted, the CPA is positive towards the European process.
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To work for peace, justice, human rights and reconciliation between and within nations.
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To foster human flourishing and quality of life both locally and globally.
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To increase the financial and other support provided by this nation to low-income
nations with a view to promoting economic independence, especially by partnership
with voluntary providers.
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Economic/fiscal
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To urge the decentralisation of the ownership and management of large-scale
corporate, economic and financial enterprises, in order that people may have more
direct control over the economic decisions which affect their lives.
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To exercise prudent financial management of public resources.
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To properly exercise influence over wider economic and fiscal matters.
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To reform taxation to the benefit of married families.
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Defence
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To protect British Citizens and the United Kingdom.
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Work towards international peace and security by strengthening UN peacekeeping
and multilateral global security, supporting the reduction of armaments and
outlawing weapons of mass destruction.
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Business
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Work for the just distribution of economic benefits.
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To ensure that businesses support sustainable communities and preserve the integrity
and flourishing of people and creation.
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To promote an economy which is stable, diverse, strong, sustainable, adaptable and
competitive for existing and new businesses.
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To reform food policy by encouraging free, local markets with responsible government
intervention.
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Environment
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To effectively steward natural resources for the use of both our own and future
generations.
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To work for the restoration of the environment where it has been damaged.
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Crime
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To build a nation which has a high reputation for justice, safety and civility.
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To provide a police service with both high morale and public confidence which is
sensitive to the cultures it serves and works in partnership with the community.
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Transport
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To provide transport systems which meet the full range of needs in ways which are
attractive, effective, environmentally friendly and sustainable.
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To promote responsibility and participation in the financing and operation of
public transport.
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Regeneration (Economic, Physical and Social)
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To facilitate the economic, social and physical regeneration of decaying communities
through local partnerships.
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To promote innovation, diversity, equality and sustainability.
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Discrimination
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To promote and protect the dignity of the person - in civil, political, social,
religious, cultural and economic life and in the workplace.
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To foster responsibility by people and institutions to work for a just society,
marked by love, compassion and peace.
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Culture, Media & Sport
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To support cultural, media and sport activities and services for all which lead to
human flourishing, creativity and improved quality of life.
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Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
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To support farming methods that practise stewardship by encouraging sustainable
farming methods, the appropriate use of technology, maintenance of bio-diversity,
and respect for the place of animals within the creation order.
Each policy area is to be considered in relation to both other policy areas and the
following areas of focus, to ensure that all policies are considered for their impact in a
range of contexts:
The Person
This focus considers how policies contribute to:
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Respect, equality and the eradication of unrighteous discrimination.
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Individuals' responsibility for their families, neighbours and the poor.
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Personal financial security through practical measures which will extend and strengthen
the emergence of a culture of stewardship.
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Creativity and the realisation of individuals' potential.
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Providing honourable work and rest.
The Family
This focus considers how policies contribute to:
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The central importance of the family, including the extended family, for general welfare.
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The concept and practice of family property ownership so as to enable families to
develop roots and a greater sense of permanence and security in their communities.
Community
This focus considers how policies contribute to:
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The quality and integrity of human relationships and our relationship with God.
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An awareness of our accountability to God in all aspects of public and private life.
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The support, regeneration and celebration of community - at work, in rest, in play and in
civic arenas.
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The decentralisation of political and administrative decisions from regional government
to local authorities and from local authorities to neighbourhood structures.
Region
This focus considers how policies contribute to:
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The decentralisation of political and administrative decisions from central to regional
government.
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Encourage the flourishing of regional identity, development and vibrancy whilst
celebrating diversity.
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To support regions adversely affected by global and local trends.
Nation
This focus considers how policies contribute to:
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Fuller stakeholder participation in political processes.
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Governance which is open, efficient, flexible and modern.
Global
This focus considers how policies contribute to:
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The development of an active role for Britain in international governance structures and
alliances in the pursuit of co-operation, mutual benefit, global prosperity and
peace-making.
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Addressing the issues behind the continuing impoverishment of poorer nations including
through debt and international trading policies.
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The responsible harnessing and stewardship of the environment for the use of present and
future generations.
Conclusion
In founding the Christian Peoples Alliance, we hope to further Christian understanding of
social and political matters, to initiate appropriate forms of action, to stimulate
informed discussion, and to influence policy-making. We endeavour above all to be
authentically Christian in our approach rather than merely different from other political
programmes. As Christians, we acknowledge that we are fallible in our grasp of the truth.
We also recognise that some Christians will seek other ways of political discipleship.
However, we call on all those who share our vision of society to join forces with us, and
to promote and act upon the principles and goals outlined in this declaration.
ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CHRISTIAN PEOPLES ALLIANCE IN SEPTEMBER 2001
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