Chris McDonnell, UK
chris@mcdonnell83.freeserve.co.uk

Previous articles by Chris   Comments welcome here

July 12, 2017  

So let’s storm the Bastille

Many nations have a date in the calendar when they celebrate a significant event in their history.  

In the US, Independence Day is marked on July 4th for it was on that date in 1776 that the Continental Congress declared the thirteen colonies a new nation, no longer subject to the British Crown. Now each year, it is a Federal holiday. The Easter Uprising in Ireland is marked for a similar reason. The Russian revolution of 1917 is remembered each October for the overthrow of Czar Nicholas.  

For the French people, July 14th, now known as Bastille Day, marks the storming of the prison in central Paris and the Uprising that eventually resulted in the execution of King Louis XIV and his Queen, Marie Antoinette, during the Reign of Terror 

On so many occasions nations have been founded through violence as one social order was replaced by another. The cost has been huge as opposing factions sought power and new patterns of government emerged. We owe Mandela a huge debt for the manner in which apartheid was dismantled.  

We are fortunate that in the UK our established parliamentary democracy allows for peaceful transfer of power through elections. That’s where we have just been and the result has given rise to the unusual circumstance of a hung parliament. By one means or another, a government has been cobbled together with a thin working majority based largely on pork-barrel politics. How long it will last is anyone’s guess.  

We value our Parliamentary tradition even though the Speaker has now ruled that for male Members the lack of a tie is of no real significance.  

That we are in a period of significant political change is evident, not only in our country, but across the world. New voices have emerged, old ways are being challenged and once settled patterns disrupted.  

Our Church is challenged in a similar manner and once rock-solid positions are questioned. Many feel ill at ease when challenged by others, who in sincere faith, raise another point of view. But isn’t this exactly what Jesus did in his own historical time by his actions and his words? He wasn’t listened to then just as he isn’t listened to now.  

This year we are marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, an event that stirred not only established Church arrangements but disturbed the political and social stability of Europe . We might have saved much heartache and distress if we had listened to each other in a more open and honest manner at the time. Now thank goodness a common path is being sought and strenuous efforts are being made at healing the rift between Christian people.  

Social unrest comes about from imbalance in society. It is not without reason that the Greek philosopher Plato wrote

‘There should exist among the citizens neither extreme poverty nor again excessive wealth, for both are productive of great evil.’  It is this disparity that gives rise to the greatest risk for such rampant inequality will be tolerated only for so long and eventually the status quo is broken.  

Our Christian faith should lead us through the hazards of adopting extreme positions, seeking a path for the greater good, a via media, a non-violent choice that challenges fear with hope. The reality of intolerance, from whatever point of view, is an evil we must constantly guard against.  

For each successive generation the circumstances appear to change yet are essentially the same. Difficult choices have to be faced, questions arise that are not easy to answer and for the greater good, compromises have to be sought.

 We have recently begun the most complicated negotiation that will result in the UK leaving the European Union. It will take thousands of hours round the negotiating table, talking and debating just solutions to real problems. Without listening to each other, without hearing alternative points of view, we have little chance of a successful outcome. If the Referendum on leaving were to be re-run now it might well produce a different result and save us the hassle. But that is not going to happen. We can only hope that due parliamentary procedures allow democracy to function effectively at each stage of the journey and for the people to have a voice.

 The Supreme Court in the US has enabled Restrictions on immigrants from six countries to be imposed and has further closed the door on refugees seeking safety for the coming 120 days. Not a day goes by without a presidential tweet couched in an un-presidential manner, ignored by some, ridiculed by many.  

With his visit to the UK held in abeyance, the US president has accepted an invitation to Bastille Day in Paris . I wonder how well versed he is in French history? In line with recent precedent, maybe we can expect him to headline Glastonbury some time soon.

 END

 ----------------------