Tag: working class

The question concerning flags and marches is not about “do you like the people”?

Andrew Wilson wrote recently on Think Theology about what the flags going up around the country, represent and mean. I think this was a helpful question to start asking and highlighted the challenges of interpreting signs and symbols. I am not convinced that this follow up article by Matthew Hosier was so helpful. Steve Kneale… Continue reading The question concerning flags and marches is not about “do you like the people”?

The dark side of flags and the left behind

Photo by Neil on Pexels.com

I’ve shared a few articles looking at the summer phenomena of St George’s flags appearing on lamposts and being painted on roundabouts and zebra crossings.  Recently I picked up on the link between flag protests and class perceptions.  There is a tendency in some quarters to sneer at anything seen as associated with working class… Continue reading The dark side of flags and the left behind

Flags, culture and a sneering misunderstanding

Photo by Neil on Pexels.com

I have seen a number of reactions to the flags controversy.  Here is one example of the more tone deaf variety. I’ve seen others suggesting that you can measure IQ based on the number of flags flying.  These all rather miss the point, or maybe prove it. First of all, they forget that because a… Continue reading Flags, culture and a sneering misunderstanding

What if anything does the Bible have to say about class?

When I recently posted some articles concerning class, the church and the Gospel, I opened up comments for discussion.  Here is one comment that was posted. “What does the scriptures say about the class system that you are talking about? In which “class” would you put say Peter, Paul, Moses etc. What “class” would you… Continue reading What if anything does the Bible have to say about class?

Is reaching urban Britain  “cross cultural”?

In “Hope for the City”, I talk about reaching urban Britain as requiring “cross cultural mission”.  But is it?  I’ve also wanted to insist in recent blog posts that we shouldn’t be thinking in terms of a minority working class but rather about people who are simply normal ordinary members of the same society. So,… Continue reading Is reaching urban Britain  “cross cultural”?

More on class and church

I had some interesting responses to my recent observations about class and the church.  These ranged from “Yes there is a working class but it’s a small minority in the wider society, so we cannot really suggest that the church is dominated by a minority culture.  The culture that dominates is the culture of wider… Continue reading More on class and church

Resources on urban mission/ class and evangelical church

When reviewing Kirsten Birkett’s book “Class and the Evangelical Church”  I noted that she acknowledges that there is already a wealth of work that has been done on the subject.  I also expressed disappointment that she doesn’t really engage with that great wealth of work and limits herself primarily to two book with a couple… Continue reading Resources on urban mission/ class and evangelical church

Is it the working classes that we should be focusing on?

Steve Kneale has also written about the book on Class that I recently reviewed.  Steve deals more with the reaction. Why does the book seem to have received such a gushing response from some quarters but causes a negative reaction among working class Christians and those he refers to as “practitioners” who are engaged in… Continue reading Is it the working classes that we should be focusing on?

Do we understand the middle classes?

There’s been a lot of discussion and debate in recent years about Britain’s class structure.  Most of the focus has been on analysing and understanding the phenomenon of a working class in society.  This is to some extent for two main reasons.  First, that much of the discussion happens in academic circles, and by definition,… Continue reading Do we understand the middle classes?