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Diocesan Organisations

Board of Social Theology in Action

Why we are here
We were set up by the Diocesan Synod
First of all we are here because the Diocesan Synod has set up this committee and appointed us to act on its behalf. The members of the Board, elected and co-opted, have a particular concern for and expertise in various social implications of the Gospel.

We are concerned about the social implications of the Gospel
There is one Gospel: that God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. It is probably not helpful to talk about a 'Social Gospel' but every phrase of the Gospel resonates with social as well as personal and all sorts of other implications.
It states God is and we proclaim the Christan encounter with God where we discover him at work as Father, Son and Holy Spirit,.one God in three modes of relationship who calls us to see all living as being in relationship - loving, concerned, just, interactive relationship.
It states God loves meaning we do not have a remote, uninvolved, uninterested Creator but a Father God who cares intimately for every being and aspect of his Creaton.
If God loves the world then there is a basic yearning in the heart of God for all to be well with his creation and this must be a concern for humans, as sentient creatures, and particularly for those of us who have come to know that love in a personal way through our relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
If God sent His Son to the world then he sends those who follow Jesus to follow through on their discipleship. We are not here just to be, or to enjoy but also to serve and to be sent, and sent not just to those who will readily accept us but to all who have any need. In sending Jesus God to all mankind our concern must be for all mankind, knowing perhaps, that some will not believe, but acting as of all have the right to believe.
God's desire is that we should all have everlasting life, not eternal life, but everlasting life, a concept which underlines, as so cogently argued recently by Bishop Tom Wright of Durham, that what God has stored up for those who love Him, will be not a kind of wispy spiritual existence but something like a perfected, full-blown outpouring of the best of what we can experience here now, physical and spiritual. As he has shown this gives us a real concern for our environment and its future as a sign of God's love and as the sphere in which we show our response to God's love. It also encourages us to deepen our relationship with God in every way, in worship and prayer and service.

We were given Areas of Concern
The Board is required to keep a watching brief, to develop suitable training or awareness programmes and to comment as appropraite on such issues as:

Personal Issues     Budgeting     Personal Development     Spiritual development     Disability     Sexuality     Chastity     Right to life         Abortion         Euthanasia     Addiction and Substance abuse	Family Issues     Marriage         Preparation         Support         Breakup         Divorce     Relationships     Family Planning     Crisis Pregnancy     Adoption     Foreigh Adoption     Elder abuse	Community Concerns     Hard Gospel follow on     Sectarianism     Quality of life     Substance Abuse     Suicide     Inter-denominational relationships     Inter-faith relationships     Security     Political involvment     Disability Awareness     Housing Issues     Rights of neighbours     ASBO's and unsocial behaviour     Retributive Justice
National Legislation     Justice Issues     Treatment of minorities     Racism     Stem cell research     Medical Ethics     Genetic Engineering     Tax Legislation     Women's Rights     Children's Rights     The rights of the family     Divorce and re-marriage     Unemployment     Censorship     Adverising Standards     Prisoners Rights     Animal Rights	International Issues     Militarism     Globalisation     Consumerism     Fair Trade & Development     Human Rights     Control of the Web     Terrorism & Freedom movements     The use of Capital	Environmental Concerns     Sustainable development     Greening of the Church     Global Warming     Animal Rights     Population Control     Nuclear Power     The use of Space     Famine & Drought     Use of Resources     Pollution

Representation
We are required to liaise with and provide members to the other committees working in this area such as the Board for Social Action (Northern Ireland) and the Board for Social Responsibility (Republic of Ireland) which report to General Synod.

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