FROM FLEEING PERSECUTION TO PROMOTING REAL MARRIAGE

It was a huge privilege to catch up with Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali to talk about how he has promoted real marriage throughout his career, even at great personal risk.

Years after fleeing his native Pakistan when defending family values brought threats against his family, Bishop Michael found himself in contention for the top job in the Church of England.

Commenting on society’s current confusion, he observes “if you consistently teach people that the universe and ourselves are without meaning, then it is natural for people to want to construct their own identities”. The population, he claims, are “waking up to this wokeness” because an “endless series of victims” is not a great way to organise society.

The preservation of our democracy requires us to “protect certain basic givens” of which marriage and family are ‘near the top of the list’ says the Bishop.

We cannot leave this to “focus groups”, “opinion polls” and “crude utilitarianism”, because “the weak will be left behind”. The Church, he says, “cannot simply capitulate to culture”. Instead, it should lead on the teaching of fundamental principles like marriage “clearly, concisely and intelligibly”. There is “a great deal of wisdom from the past” that we should “use for organising our lives today”.

There is every cause to hope because “large numbers of young people express the desire for marriage”.

People need to “have the courage of their conviction” in work and the public square. Parents need to “organise themselves” and “require the schools” to teach in accordance with their beliefs. And the churches, Bishop Michael says, “should be equipped to support” them.

C4M stand with people of all faiths and none, who recognise the benefits for society in supporting and promoting real marriage. Thank you for standing with us.