February 1986 Marxism Today 11 TURBULENT Few would have predicted, in 1979, that the Church of England would assume the mantle of the moral voice against Thatcherism. PRIESTS

'Many members of the Church of Eng­ Kenneth Leech to become Archbishop of Canterbury, land are socialists and would establish a became archbishop) and had claimed, in wrote, in his first book in 1936, that commonwealth whose people should an article in 1908, that the choice before 'individualism. . . has no place in Christ­ own the land and the industrial capital the church was between socialism and ianity, and Christianity verily means its and administer them cooperatively for heresy. In that article he referred to 'evolu­ extinction.'4 the good of all. Such public ownership tionary socialism'. But in a book published they regard as urgent and as a necessary The recent report Faith in the City, as its deduction from the teachings of the in 1927 he made it clear that what he was authors themselves point out, 'proceeds church.'1 arguing for was gradual conservative from a long tradition of Christian social reform.3 Temple was in fact a believer in concern.'5 Those critics who have referred This unlikely passage comes from the capitalism with a human face. the church back to its 'spiritual' role, colourful Anglican revolutionary Conrad There were many more openly socialist thinking that in so doing they were repre­ Noel, vicar of Thaxted, Essex, in the early groups within the Church of England from senting 'orthodox' opinion against some years of the century. Noel (1869-1942) Stewart Headlam's Guild of St Matthew, new trend, stand within the other tradi­ founded the Catholic Crusade, whose aim founded in 1877, which campaigned for tion, much less ancient, typified by Stan­ was 'to smash the British Empire and all the nationalisation of land as well as for ley Baldwin when he asked, when the empires to bits.' It stood for 'a revolution­ recognition of ballet, the music hall, the bishops tried to intervene in the 1926 coal ary attitude in politics, and the establish­ pub, and school reform, to such groups as strike, how would they feel were he to refer ment, if necessary by force, of a classless the Council of Clergy and Ministers for the revision of the Athanasian Creed to the cooperative society on communist lines.' Iron and Steel Federation. The flying of the red flag from Thaxted What is relatively new in the attacks on church led to fierce controversy and vio­ what is relatively new in the the report is the use of the word 'Marxist'. lent clashes. Of course, the use of 'Marxist' as accusa­ What those who have described the attacks on the report is the tion rather than description has been a recent Archbishop's Commission Report use of the word 'Marxist' well-established feature of right-wing as 'Marxist' would have made of Noel and polemic for some years. Rarely does the his comrades, one can only speculate. term bear any relationship to Marx or the While Noel, with his strong commitment Common Ownership (1942), a group Marxist tradition. Within right-wing to the Russian Revolution, was by no dominated by the Reverend Stanley Evans Christian circles, the term was used some means typical of the Anglican socialism of who was well known in the Communist sixteen times in a recent symposium: in no his period, it is true to say that by the party. Today there are a number of Christ­ case was the use of the term explained, nor beginning of the 20th century a vague kind ian socialist groupings, the only explicitly was there any reference to Marx or any of socialism did represent the mainstream Anglican one being the Jubilee Group, Marxist thinker.6 A few years earlier an thinking of the Church of England, while founded at Bethnal Green in 1974. attack on the General Synod of the Church the smaller but more militant groups with­ of England had appeared with the fascinat­ 7 in it, of which the Crusade was one, made Not so trendy ing title A Marxist Heaven? The use of the that socialism more explicit. At the vague Much of this Anglican socialist tradition term in relation to the recent report has semi-official level, 'a kind of socialism' was has been forgotten, or was never known, been at the same unintelligent level. 'Tory expressed in statements from the Lambeth by current right-wing critics, who there­ anger at C of E Marxists' was the Daily Conferences and the powerful Christian fore see the church's involvement in the Telegraph headline on December 2 last, Social Union, and more specifically in such political arena as something novel and reports as that of the Archbishop's 5th 'trendy'. In fact, the Church of England, Commission of Inquiry on Christianity and both at its official level (bishops, confer­ 1 Conrad Noel Socialism in Church History London Frank Palmer 1910 p7. Industrial Problems (1918) and the famous ences, etc) and through its clergy and 2 Malvern Conference (1941). William Temple Christianity and the State 1929 parishes, was probably more involved in and Citizen and Churchman 1941. The culmination of the tradition of the social and political arena in the period 3 William Temple Essays on Christian Politics and from the 1870s to the death of Temple than Kindred Subjects Longmans 1927 p65. reformist socialism was represented in the 4 figure of William Temple, who was in recent years. Statements of the bishops A M Ramsey The Gospel and the Catholic Church in the last few years look quite mild Longmans 1936 p38. Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942 to 5 Faith in the City Church House Publishing 1985 his death in 1944. Temple has been hailed compared with some of the earlier writers p57. as the pioneer of the welfare state, and he and activists. Thus the Lambeth Confer­ 6 Digby Anderson ed The Kindness That Kills: the was certainly the first writer to use the ence Report of 1948 claimed that Marxism churches' simplistic response to complex social issues 2 SPCK 1984. term. He had joined the Labour party as a was closer to Christian doctrine than any 7 other philosophy. Michael Ramsey, later National Federation of Self-Employed and Small young man (though had left it before he Businesses, 1979. 12 February 1986 Marxism Today

while Auberon Waugh in The Spectator only 42 of socio-economic analysis. And presidential address to the Convocations in was true to type. The report was 'more this is true of the entire Latin American 1947, after referring to the pressing needs overtly Marxist and anti-religious' than tradition. Where it is used, Marxist analy­ of the nation, went on to speak of the 'first usual, he claimed, and went on to speak of sis is seen as an aid to understanding the and most essential step', the revision of 'the Archbishop's explicit adoption of development of capitalist societies. But the Canon Law, on which the church then Marx.'8 theology is deeply, and even conservative­ spent years. Michael Ramsey, a man deep­ ly, Christian. ly influenced by the self-styled socialist Re-assertion of liberalism There are other Christian traditions F D Maurice and the genuine socialist Whether Marxists would be pleased that which have learnt a good deal from Marx­ Charles Gore, rescued the church from its the Archbishop had joined the ranks or ism, such as some north American black self-absorption, and it is the blossoming of suspicious of his motivation I do not know, theology associated with the Yale professor this renewed social tradition which we are but the fact is that, while there are a Cornel West. But very little of this think­ now seeing. But it is not particularly a number of influences, both theological and ing has affected the Church of England. socialist tradition, though there are social­ political, which one can detect in the pages Indeed, it is probably true to say that ists within it. It is more a liberal reformist of the report, Marx is certainly not one of Marxism was more fashionable in Angli­ tradition which looks more left wing simp­ them. This is not to say that Marx has had can circles in the 1930s and 40s than it is ly because the government has moved so no influence on world Christianity. Some, today. What has been happening in recent far to the right. The Bishop of Southwark though by no means all, of the writers years has been a renewal of the social has suggested that the church may have known as 'liberation theologians', based conscience of the church as it existed prior become more critical of the government mainly in south and central America, draw to the second world war. It is a return to because of the lack of a strong opposition heavily on Marxist analytical tools. One of the tradition of Temple, rather than the party, and this is partly true.9 the best-known such writers is Jose Miran­ appearance of something new. da, author of Marx and the Bible (Orbis It was the immediate postwar period, A growing radicalism 1974). But, in spite of the title, 270 of its the era of Archbishop Fisher, which was in But the source of the present conflict can 312 pages consist of biblical exegesis, and a sense the 'freak' period. Fisher, in his also be sought in the increased awareness February 1986 Marxism Today 13 which the bishops have of concrete politic­ clergy have sat at their feet as students. upper and middle class, as part of the al realities. This is in part due to the If it is true that social and economic establishment, is very clear. And there is efficient and well-informed work of the conditions have pushed many church­ no evidence that the official spokespersons Board for Social Responsibility, and its people to be reluctant radicals, it is equally of the church have any desire to change the equivalents in the dioceses, and in part to true that there has been a renewal of sound system: rather they wish it to function in a the involvement throughout the country of theology in recent years. Marxists should more caring and compassionate way. churchpeople, priests and laity, in such be the last to deny the importance of theory Many of the bishops would be happier in issues as housing, homelessness, racism, and of ideas. Recent years in the church the company of Harold Macmillan or the peace movement, and so on. Since have seen the abandonment of the Edward Heath than of Margaret Thatcher. 1979 we have witnessed continual clashes individualistic and otherworldly theology The changing face of the Tory party has between church and government over a associated with some wings of the Re­ probably pushed many churchpeople to an whole series of issues: over child benefits; formation. Sheppard represents a new SDP position. Indeed the similarity be­ over The Church and the Bomb report; over breed of radical evangelical whose theo­ tween the conclusions of Anthony Heath the Nationality Act and the Immigration logy is deeply rooted in the Bible. In the and his colleagues about the Alliance in the Rules (on which the General Synod was Catholic wing of the Church, the influence last issue of Marxism Today, and that of unanimous in its vote of condemnation); of the Second Vatican Council with its George Moyser on the General Synod of over economic policy; over the Falkland more socially critical direction, and of the the Church of England is very striking. Islands service; and so on. And it is liberation theology which has developed According to Heath, the Alliance shows a significant that, in spite of suggestions from it, are having their effect on many combination of liberal attitudes on social from Tory spokespersons that the church Anglicans. As in the Roman church, there and 'moral' issues, and a conservative often does not 'get its facts right', bishops is a conservative swing. Edward Norman's attitude on class and economic ones.10 and clergy have access to experience and 1978 Reith Lectures on Christianity and the Moyser makes the same point about the information which is more accurate and World Order were an amateurish attempt to church. reality-based than that of the government revive the otherworldly tradition. But it Like Prince Charles, the bishops are which is increasingly remote from the has come too late. probably worried about a divided nation. people. If the Archbishop's Commission is There is a new reformation under way, The difference is that they can no longer be correct that there has been an increased and it centres around the theme of the said to rule it: they are not prince bishops, polarisation of rich and poor, undoubtedly 'Kingdom of God'. In an interesting essay and only lord bishops in the technical of 1922, the socialist priest Percy Wid- sense. They may still speak as if they were drington predicted that the recovery of the the leaders of the national church, but in it would be absurd to deny Kingdom of God as a hope for the trans­ fact they are increasingly the leaders of a formation of the world would bring about a minority among other minorities within a that there has been a reformation compared with which that of secular state. Minority status is no guaran­ 'radicalisation' of the the 16th century would seem a very small tee of radicalism, but it may mean that in thing. That time has now come to pass. the future both the bishops and the church episcopate Increasingly the real division within world as a whole will be less concerned with Christianity does not run along historic social respectability, status or maintaining the clergy are closer to the areas of poverty, denominational lines. It is a division be­ the status quo. And that may even apply to and to its victims, than are the govern­ tween those who believe that the Kingdom the status quo within the church itself. For ment, and can speak with greater authority of God involves the transformation of the it is logically and morally impossible in the and credibility. world and its structures of injustice, and long run for the church to offer moral It would be absurd to deny that there has those who do not. principles to the nation which it does not been a 'radicalisation' of the episcopate, apply to itself. After the Malvern Confer­ including some of its conservative mem­ And more to come? ence of 1941, Temple wrote: " bers. The strong positions taken by Gra­ However, in assessing the Church of Eng­ 'Christians, clergy and laity alike, cannot ham Leonard, the Bishop of London, over land and its political role, we must ask not take part in this work unless they are nationality and immigration issues and only 'what does it say?' but 'whose in­ ready to advocate and bring about a over the abolition of the GLC, are worth terests does it represent?' Marx did not complete change in the internal financial noting. A common Tory jibe is that write much about religion, and even less position of the church.' bishops are remote from people. But, about the Church of England, but one of In the aftermath of the recent report, it however much the right-wing media may the few things he did say about it was that it would be surprising if that point were lost. seek to discredit them, such bishops as would sooner give up 38 of its 39 articles The next few years should be very interest­ David Sheppard of Liverpool, John than one-thirty-ninth of its income. So, ing. • Austin Baker of Salisbury, David Jenkins when we have listened to all the radical of Durham and Archbishop Runcie him­ rhetoric, where does the Church of Eng­ 8 self are listened to with great respect by, land stand within the class structure? The Auberon Waugh 'Runcieballs revisited, or what to do with the Beveridge boys' The Spectator 21-28 and have credibility with, thousands of recent report accepts what all social histo­ December 1985. churchpeople. Sheppard and Jenkins are rians have shown, that the Church of 9 The Times 6 December 1984. known to speak out of genuine knowledge England has never been part of working 10 Anthony Heath el al in Marxism Today January of the inner urban scene. It is also worth class culture or life. While the church has 1986 pp 18-21; George Moyser 'The political organisation of the middle class: the case of the noting that, with the exception of Shep­ shown great concern about the conditions Church of England' in John Garrard et al, The pard, these men are former university or of the poor, the unemployed, the home­ Middle Class in Politics Saxon House 1978. college teachers, and many of the present less, and so on, its character as part of the "Reynolds News 26 January 1941.