RE Community Cohesion

UK as a multi-ethnic society

• UK has always been a multi-ethnic society i.e. Romans, Celts, Saxons, Normans are all ancestors
• UK has always offered people freedom from persecution and political asylum e.g. Jews escaping Hitler
• British Empire - citizens allowed to settle, slaves automatically freed on entry to UK
• Commonwealth immigration 1950's- labour shortage workers fought in WW2 e.g. Gurkhas now able to become UK residents
• EU - extension enabled a large influx of people from the Eastern Europe to visit, work and live in the UK
• In UK 7.9% is ethnic minority

Problems caused by discrimination and racism

• Prejudice - no jobs given to members of different religions or certain ethnic groups e.g Orthodox Jews
• People are refused accommodation
• Education - prejudice of teachers limits success for pupils and students can be downgraded or excluded from school
• Discrimination by Police - 'Stop and Search policy can be excessive in some ethnic and religious communities because of their race or beliefs. Blacks more likely to be stopped than white

Effects of discrimination and racism

• Feeling of alienation of people and groups within society
• Racism and discrimination will lead to the creation of more radical groups like the BNP, this will lead to more hatred in society
• Because of prejudice young people in minority groups particularly blacks feel they wont succeed, they will only get poorly paid jobs and will resort to crime
• Young people e.g muslims are turning to extreme Isalmic groups because they feel they have no chance of success in a prejudiced environment e.g acts of terrorism 7/7
• If multi-ethnic society is to function well it has to treat everyone fairly - equal opportunities for all to produce their best
  

Benefits of a multi-ethnic society

• Less chance of war because people have knowledge and understanding of different ethnic groups and nationalities - mixed marriages
• Leads to progressive ideas and new and different ways of doing things - cut of societies are less progressive e.g Amazonian Indians
• Life is more exciting with different cultures, food, music and entertainment
• Shows people how varied the world is - all part of one race - the human race, essential for economic interdependence
  

What does UK Government do to promote Community Cohesion including laws on equal rights

• Financial support for groups working in and researching CC
• Education and Inspections Act - CC on curriculum
• Race Relations Act - unlawful to discriminate on grounds of race and colour
• Racial and Religious Hatred Act - offence to use threatening words against different races, incite groups defined by religious beliefs
• Crime and Disorder Act - higher penalties for racially motivated crime or hostility
• Equal Human Rights Commission
• Main political parties oppose racism
  

Church of England helping asylum seekers

• Providing places for learning English in order to get employment and worship in English to maintain faith
• Setting up organizations which provide the basic necessities of life e.g TLCRF
• Setting up legal advice clinics - help with immigration/settling in UK Campaigns e.g Church Action on Poverty- justice for refugees Still Human Still Here - fighting poverty/lack of subsistence for asylum seekers
• Church speaks on behalf of immigrants to give them a voice to put forward their problems and concerns
• Asking Christians to elevate status of immigrant workers - hard working dedicated people
  

Why does the Church help asylum seekers?

• Old Testament teaches - God is a God of justice Christians seeking justice for asylum seekers Christians seeking justice for oppressed
• Through this work they show love for God & neighbours
• Golden rule - service to others
• Christians follow example of Jesus - 'not to be served but to serve others' Mark 10:14
• Teachings of Jesus - Parables - Good Samaritan,Sheep and Goats
  
• Jesus was a refugee - family fled to Egypt to escape Herod
  

Why should Christians help promote racial harmony?

• Christian church members - 2.1billion all over the world
• Parables - Good Samaritan
• Simon of Cyrene (helped Jesus carry cross) - black African
• St Peter(Acts10) believed God had showed that he treats all races the same and accepts the worship of anyone
  
• St Paul(Galicians3:26-29) everyone is equal - no divisions of race amongst Christians also that God created all nations from Adam - therefore all equal
• Christian church has condemned racism - promoted racial harmony
  

Christians who have been racist - examples of Racism

• KKK - USA 1920 - 1970 - secret society in South dedicated to white supremacy v blacks Jews Catholics motto - Bringing a message of Hope and Deliverance to White Christian America
  
• South Africa 1970 - 1980 Dutch Reform Church apartheid (separate development) - supported white supremacy v black
• UK 1950 churches hostility to black immigrants - unwelcome so set up own churches

What do Exclusive Christians believe about other religions? Why?

• Christianity is only religion that leads to god
• All other religions are wrong
• Christians have rights to convert others
• Jesus said: "I am the way the truth and the life - no one reaches God but through me" - John 14 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations" - Matthew 28 - everyone must be converted to Christianity

What do Inclusive Christians believe about other religions? Why?

• Other religions have some truth
• Only Christianity reveals whole truth about God
• Only Christians assured of salvation but others may have possibility of eternal life eg Judaism
  
• St Paul in Athens saw people on spiritual search even though they were not Christians
• Teachings of Catholic Church - Catechism/Papal Encyclicals
  

What do Pluralist Christians believe? (Liberal Protestant Christians) Why?

• All religions are equally valid and lead to God
• Christians should respect other religions - living good holy lives e.g Muslims,Hindus etc
  
• Do not believe bible is the word of God
• Believe God is a force like gravity - discovered in different ways
• "In my Fathers house are many rooms" John 14.2 - room in heaven for all religions
• Good Samaritan
  

Benefits of living in a multi-faith society

• Learn about other religions - see things in common
  
• Practice religion more seriously and make others think about their religion
• Understanding of different religions helps to question and think more seriously about own beliefs
• understanding comes about through realisation that everyone is entitled to their own opinion about religion
• Religious tolerance will help to stop conflicts - Catholics/Protestants in Northern Ireland, Hindus/Sikhs/Muslims in India
• Multi-faith society allows people to come across new religious ideas

Issues raised for religion by a multi-faith society

eg conversion, bringing up children, interfaith marriage

• Multi-faith society - means religious freedom!
• Desire to convert all other faiths - different faiths, non believers OK to evangelise not to always convert
• Conversion a type of prejudice and discrimination
• Impossible to study all religions and say that any one is wrong
• Children (when of age) free to choose religion - conflict over different choices, life after death, social and peer pressure, tempted away by education in secular schools.
  
• Interfaith marriages - no ceremony, childrens religion, feeling of betrayal for family, after death - burial
  
• If not addressed issues can lead to conflict and hatred

Religion & promoting community cohesion in UK

• Religions working out what are the similarities e.g prophets Abraham and Moses in Islam, Christianity and Judaism
• Helping interfaith marriages - special services, websites, published guidelines
  
• Church leaders agree Good RE in schools
• Encourage different religions for children in mixed faith families
  
• Setting up national groups - IFN for UK
• Setting up local groups in towns & cities