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The real power of the church lies not in its prince bishops but its congregations The real power of the church lies not in its prince bishops but its congregations
(2 months later)
"It's not like this in Winchester," David tells me as he wanders round my parish. "No shit, Sherlock," I think to myself, uncharitably. David is in his first year of PPE at Oxford and has come on placement to learn a bit about community organising and, specifically, whether community organising techniques can be used to address the trouble caused by those terrible pay-day loan companies to whom so many of my parishioners owe money."It's not like this in Winchester," David tells me as he wanders round my parish. "No shit, Sherlock," I think to myself, uncharitably. David is in his first year of PPE at Oxford and has come on placement to learn a bit about community organising and, specifically, whether community organising techniques can be used to address the trouble caused by those terrible pay-day loan companies to whom so many of my parishioners owe money.
I hate those places. The other week, they were handing out balloons to children in Brixton. It's such a manipulative business – with a 5,000% interest rate as the sting in the tail. Really, Newcastle United football club ought to be ashamed to have Wonga as their sponsor.I hate those places. The other week, they were handing out balloons to children in Brixton. It's such a manipulative business – with a 5,000% interest rate as the sting in the tail. Really, Newcastle United football club ought to be ashamed to have Wonga as their sponsor.
Preaching last Sunday, David reminded us that the prophet Nehemiah had a massive sense of humour failure over Jews charging fellow Jews a measly 1% interest rate: "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."Preaching last Sunday, David reminded us that the prophet Nehemiah had a massive sense of humour failure over Jews charging fellow Jews a measly 1% interest rate: "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."
In response, Nehemiah made himself a total pain, "gathered together a large meeting" and badgered the authorities until they promised to stop exploiting the poor. I guess this is now called community organising.In response, Nehemiah made himself a total pain, "gathered together a large meeting" and badgered the authorities until they promised to stop exploiting the poor. I guess this is now called community organising.
Saul Alinsky is widely credited with inventing the term in the 50s. Like Nehemiah, he too was a Jew with attitude, despairing of mainstream politics and encouraging people to recognise that, when they got themselves organised, they could effect considerable change without having to go through the traditional channels of a political system that would so often sell them out in back-room deals and compromises. For Alinsky, community organising is dedicated to an "eternal warfare … against poverty, misery, delinquency, disease, injustice, hopelessness, despair, and unhappiness". His Rules for Radicals, published in 1971, was a how-to primer of social change, describing some very practical tactics of applying grassroots political pressure – not least, through the choice of a common enemy against whom a community can unite, and the continual application of pressure.Saul Alinsky is widely credited with inventing the term in the 50s. Like Nehemiah, he too was a Jew with attitude, despairing of mainstream politics and encouraging people to recognise that, when they got themselves organised, they could effect considerable change without having to go through the traditional channels of a political system that would so often sell them out in back-room deals and compromises. For Alinsky, community organising is dedicated to an "eternal warfare … against poverty, misery, delinquency, disease, injustice, hopelessness, despair, and unhappiness". His Rules for Radicals, published in 1971, was a how-to primer of social change, describing some very practical tactics of applying grassroots political pressure – not least, through the choice of a common enemy against whom a community can unite, and the continual application of pressure.
For Alinsky, the preferred battle-ground is always chaos, and the disruption of established assumptions about the way things ought to be. He has been described as doing for the poor what Machiavelli did for the princes. The US right is often reminding its base that Barack Obama is a dangerous radical because he learned his politics through community organising in Chicago. Obama's chief fixer, Rahm Emanuel, was speaking straight out of the Alinsky handbook when he spoke of never allowing "a good crisis go to waste".For Alinsky, the preferred battle-ground is always chaos, and the disruption of established assumptions about the way things ought to be. He has been described as doing for the poor what Machiavelli did for the princes. The US right is often reminding its base that Barack Obama is a dangerous radical because he learned his politics through community organising in Chicago. Obama's chief fixer, Rahm Emanuel, was speaking straight out of the Alinsky handbook when he spoke of never allowing "a good crisis go to waste".
Though an atheist himself, Alinsky regarded faith-based groups as at the heart of community organising. And it is no coincidence that this country's largest such group, Citizens UK, works particularly in and through the churches, mosques and synagogues. For congregations – when properly organised – are exactly the sort of purpose-driven, value-laden communities that Alinsky believed to be the prime movers of grassroots social change. Yet despite the fact that this model has its modern advocates – and Lord Glasman comes especially to mind – it is hard to think that the Church of England, with its establishment connections and unshakable belief in the redeeming power of tea and Battenberg, will ever fully step up to the plate. Or maybe the takeaway point here is that the power of the church lies not in its prince bishops but in its congregations – even, possibly, in Winchester.Though an atheist himself, Alinsky regarded faith-based groups as at the heart of community organising. And it is no coincidence that this country's largest such group, Citizens UK, works particularly in and through the churches, mosques and synagogues. For congregations – when properly organised – are exactly the sort of purpose-driven, value-laden communities that Alinsky believed to be the prime movers of grassroots social change. Yet despite the fact that this model has its modern advocates – and Lord Glasman comes especially to mind – it is hard to think that the Church of England, with its establishment connections and unshakable belief in the redeeming power of tea and Battenberg, will ever fully step up to the plate. Or maybe the takeaway point here is that the power of the church lies not in its prince bishops but in its congregations – even, possibly, in Winchester.
Twitter: @giles_fraserTwitter: @giles_fraser
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