Politics and religion is a mix that can work to make a better Barbados.
That was the general consensus from a four-member religious panel during the Nation Publishing Corporation’s first town hall meeting of 2012, held at the Anne Johnson auditorium of the St Gabriel’s School, last night.
The Nation Talkback event was held under the theme: Is the church losing society, or is society losing the church?
“I think there is nothing wrong with Christians getting involved with political life,” Anglican clergyman the Reverend Michael Maxwell told the medium-sized gathering. “I hope that we as Christians can hopefully have a positive influence in that medium, and impact upon the well-being of our society. I don’t think we in the church should shy away from politics.”
Reverend Maxwell noted that still too many Barbadian Christians think of politics as a nasty endeavour, and one they should not be involved in. “Maybe Christians can bring something positive to politics. Maybe they can even bring positive things to many aspects of culture, even though we have been criticized for this before. We can seek to Christianize the society.”
Reverend Winston Clarke, evangelical minister on panel also agreed that a mix of politics and religion could work. “I personally see nothing wrong with it. There are some aspects of culture that do not fit into the regime of good Christian conduct, but a difference can be made in Barbados if persuasions of the church are involved with our day to day Governance.”
Monsignor Vincent Harcourt Blackett, the second in command of the Roman Catholic Church in Barbados, said he agreed with Pope Paul, who said the split between faith and political culture remains the greatest trauma in existence.
“That should galvanize us to work with every dimension of our society. The more we stay away, the more we leave out society to fall into decadence, and it will be our fault. We need to engage ourselves,” Monsignor Blackett concluded.Â
