Back in the day there was a general feeling that one should never discuss politics or religion in polite company over dinner. Given that I have just finished a job which involved both those things no doubt I would not have had permission to speak about my work had I been your dinner guest (not that such protocols have succeeded in stopping me before!)

Here in Northern Ireland traditionally it has been hard to separate the two although the landscape is certainly changing. But we are not unique in experiencing this (un)holy alliance. The newly blogging upmytree pointed me to this post from the Wisbeys on politics and religion in Tanzania. It started with an exhortation to read the Sunday papers – a fine pastime and one which I’m enjoying with renewed vigour now that I no longer have assignments to write or other important Things To Do – and went on to consider the appropriate role of the church in the political processes. The Wisbeys conclude:

 The church, wherever it is, needs to standup and take responsibility for its role and its power. It needs to play a role in educating the public as to all the options, and so help them see beyond the short term benefits and look to the long term results of their actions.

The context is Tanzania but such advice rings true for us here too. Whether it is desparate attempts at Westminster to develop new policies to woo back an alienated public before another general election, or more locally policies emanating from a mixture of looking over one shoulder at who might be out to get you whilst looking over the other shoulder at political fixes to please a disillusioned electorate,  short term fixes are never going to provide any sort of long term solutions or stability.  

True we have come a long way here in NI, and the distance we have travelled took vision, determination and courage on behalf of many who will not be honoured in this lifetime for the contribution that they have made. But short-termism, whether to avoid the bogey man looking over your shoulder or to make quick political gain, is not a solid basis on which to rebuild a country or create courageous vision for the future.

However perhaps we get the political vision we deserve. As voters (or more accuratley non-voters…although i think friends are now too scared to tell me they didn’t vote in the election earlier this month) we complain and quickly get frustrated with those who have been elected to positions of power. But maybe we don’t give them the room to manoeuvre or the space to create the vision that is so badly needed. Not voting is one way of registering discontent but opting out seems to lead to an ever more desparate scramble to find something, however unrealistic or unsustainable, that might attract the voters back.

Some will argue that the church has no place in helping to shape the future. But the role of local churches in aiding the Roma families in Belfast last week highlights the significant role which churches can and do play in local communities and this can contribute to the bigger picture.

But the Church (collectively) also needs to step up to the mark and rediscover its prophetic voice. It will not always be popular, and may not always be heard, but until it moves away from solely protecting itself to looking out for the needs of others, perhaps even at its own expense (again as demonstrated in the aid given to the Roma), it will not make an impact.

All of us need to look past short term benefits and consider the long term results of our actions.