Dr Sharon James is social policy analyst for The Christian Institute and author of How Christianity Transformed the World, an engaging book about the positive impact of Christianity on society and the development of many of the institutions we take for granted today, like universal education and healthcare.
Dr James speaks to Christian Today about why The Christian Institute sent her book to every British parliamentarian this Easter, and the openness she observes towards exploring Britain’s Christian heritage at this time.
Why did you feel led to send this book to parliamentarians at this time?
At The Christian Institute we recognise, and value, the contribution that parliamentarians make to public service. We often pray for them. We wanted to send them this book as a gift to mark our appreciation for their work.
What is the message you want them to take away from reading this book?
We believe that there is a great weight of evidence pointing to the positive and transformative impact Christianity has had in our nation, and indeed worldwide. The book gives them an accessible summary of the contributions Christians have made to freedom, justice, protection of life, philanthropy, healthcare, education, and much more beside.
What reception have you had from parliamentarians who have received it?
We’ve been happy to receive many warm messages of appreciation from members of each of the parliaments.
Do you sense any openness to finding out more about Britain’s Christian heritage - and if so, what do you think might have brought that about?
Yes, we are seeing a greater willingness to consider Britain’s Christian heritage at this time. There are numerous factors behind this, but I’ll mention two.
Firstly, even secular commentators are acknowledging that the younger generation have been let down by those who have taught them to believe that life is all about “finding yourself”. That is such a diminished vision. Many younger people are seeking a higher, weightier purpose in life. Bible sales are up. Many of us at a local level are encouraged to see young adults wanting to explore the Christian faith.
Secondly, the ideology of the sexual revolution has manifestly failed to deliver freedom and fulfilment. It has resulted in an ocean of exploitation and abuse. God’s creation design for sexual fidelity and stable family bonds offers a beautiful contrast to the brokenness on full view in current society.
Some people seem reluctant to acknowledge the positive influence of Christianity on Britain’s heritage - or to be unaware of it completely. What would you say to them?
I’d point to the numerous examples of people whose lives have been transformed by an encounter with the risen Christ. Throughout the last two thousand years, devotion to Christ has inspired self-sacrificial service which has brought immense benefits to our national life. Our great institutions providing education and healthcare were all originally Christian foundations.
What in your experience are the most common ‘blind spots’?
Many people are being fed the narrative that Christianity through history has been a toxic and oppressive influence and is to be seen as the enemy. Of course, there are examples of behavior that we would in no way condone. But the big picture is that we have a great story to tell.
The real origin of the idea of “human rights” is the biblical truth that we are all created in the image of God. When we neglect or despise a fellow human being, we insult their Creator. Every person is to be treated with dignity and respect. We believe in the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. We see the dignity of human life because our Lord Jesus Christ became incarnate. He was human from the moment of conception.
And the source of our commitment to an ethic of compassion is the Bible’s teaching that service of others is not an option, but an obligation to be extended to all. The classical world was riddled with cruelty and injustice. By contrast, Christianity introduced the notion of compassion and philanthropy, because we are told to love not just our family, not just our neighbour – but strangers – even enemies! Our Lord Jesus was the supreme example of laying down his life for others. True greatness comes through service. These biblical ideas are the foundation for a concern for human rights.
Which stories or examples of faith from your book particularly inspire you?
I’m always been challenged and inspired by the stories of “ordinary” people, often forgotten today, who sacrificially addressed the needs they saw around them.
Sarah Martin was a poor orphan, who lived in the early nineteenth century in England. As a teenager, she had to work long hours as a seamstress. One Sunday she felt a strange compulsion to go into a chapel service where she heard the gospel for the first time, and converted. She vowed that day to use her life in service of the One who had so wonderfully saved her. Sarah went on working long hours, but used every other waking hour in doing good: including visiting the local prison where conditions were dire. Here, Sarah initiated literacy classes and work schemes. Prison conditions were completely transformed.
Countless others volunteered to teach children in the early Sunday School movement. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth century there was no state provision of education for poor children. Robert Raikes, a newspaper editor in Gloucester, was shocked at the levels of ignorance and crime in the city. He and a local minister met to brainstorm ways in which “vice could be prevented”. They came up with the idea of schools to teach literacy and Bible knowledge, to be run by volunteers on Sundays. This was the only day that poor children would be able to attend, as they were sent out to work the rest of the week.
One Sunday afternoon, in July 1780, a Christian woman called Mrs Meredith welcomed poor children into her home: the first Sunday school. By 1831, about a quarter of England’s 1.25 million children were attending Sunday schools. This great movement depended on the voluntary efforts of tens of thousands of Christians.
Across the centuries, as people found their lives transformed by Christ, they wanted to live out his injunction: “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”. Evangelical Christians were responsible for a remarkable range of social advances including prison reform, care of the mentally ill, factory reform, rescuing women and children from sexual abuse, and provision of education in addition to the abolition of the slave trade.
The stories of such individuals challenge the negative view of Christianity which is still presented to many people today. But they also inspire us to look outside ourselves to serve the needs of others.
