RELIGION - NOT AN OBSESSION BUT THE TRUTH

The Bishop of Leicester's First Person column appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Religion - not an obsession but the truth

The Bishop of Leicester explores the importance of the Christmas message for our society

This week the National Secular Society has accused the BBC of being "obsessed with religion". I think they are objecting to the invitation to the Pope to give the Thought for the Day on Radio 4's Today Programme which was broadcast this morning on Christmas Eve. They might also be objecting to the decision to run the Nativity series on BBC TV in the prime slot at 7pm each day this week. I wonder why it is thought to be obsessive for our major national broadcasting institution to be helping the nation to understand what Christmas celebration is all about. Recently a shocking statistic demonstrated that only a small percentage of our young people even knew the story of Christmas. Have we gained anything from losing our hold on the story which makes sense of this mid-winter celebration?

This week our city council has decided to press ahead with an election for a Mayor of Leicester. Hidden in all our preparations for holiday-making and partying comes a solid piece of political news.

Are these two completely disconnected worlds? Do politics and Christmas have anything to do with each other? In one of the great Bible readings from our Carol Services this year come these words from the Prophet Isaiah: "For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon His shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

The Christmas story tells us that God comes to us as a human being. 

And that all of us stand under His authority and judgement, even politicians, even the most powerful people in the world. That truth is right at the heart of how we understand ourselves as a nation. It is acted out in the Coronation Service when the Queen places the sword of state on the altar of Westminster Abbey – acknowledging a higher authority than her own.

The Pope, speaking in Westminster Hall earlier this year, acknowledged that the voice of the Church of England in this country has helped to create a Britain that has fought against the most secular evils of the 20th century, by holding our politicians to account.

The celebrations we all share in are not based on a fairy story of long ago and far away. But upon a real story of a real truth about the real world. God comes to us in Jesus. He comes today and everyday. And He comes to reveal to us that the way to peace, justice and prosperity is by means of the law of love. This is not an obsession, but a truth.

A very happy Christmas to you all.