Speaking at the Evangelical Alliance’s Life Beyond Debt conference today, Ms Blears pointed to the example set by Jesus in bringing hope to the people around him.
“Even in the darkest times faith will endure and give us hope,” she said. “Jesus knew exactly the kinds of challenges that people are facing today.
“Times were pretty tough for the people that he lived with. Practical matters of work and money and food were never far from his thoughts and indeed his actions.
“In every story and every encounter he always brought hope and that’s one of the reasons that faith-based charities have such an important role to play as we face today’s economic challenges.”
Ms Blears reassured the audience of Christian leaders and charity representatives that the Government was listening to them, although she acknowledged that ignorance or mistrust on the part of Local Authorities meant that religious groups had not always received their fair share of public funding.
She invited Christians to take part in a conversation about a possible Charter of Excellence under which faith groups would receive funding from public bodies on condition that they do not proselytise or discriminate against people of different or no faith.
“There’s a balance to be struck here. It’s not about trying to stop [faith group workers] from talking about their faith if people ask them or being open about what motivates them. It is not about sanitising that faith motivation from the organisation,” she insisted. “It is just making sure that if we spend public money, which comes from everyone in this country, then that money is spent fairly and without discrimination.”
Ms Blears went on to praise Christians who demonstrate their faith with practical action, citing the Apostle James who said faith without deeds is dead, and concluded by reaffirming the hope her faith gives her.
“The Bible has a lot to say about hope. Paul rates it as one of the three defining qualities of Christian life alongside faith and love,” she said.
“Faith for me does give hope for the future. There is a difficult path ahead … but I do believe we will get through this difficult time.
“Things will change and maybe some things will change for the better for the long-term, not only for our country but for the whole of the world.
“And that’s why I think your input, your special point of view should be something all of our Government listens to, takes seriously, and tries to reflect in the values that we want to use to shape the future of our country.”
