His speech was part of the Faithworks Lectures series, which will see the three main political parties address churches via live webcast in the run-up to the General Election.

Last night, in front of a live audience of around 200 hundred church leaders, churchgoers and other faith representatives at Christ Church & Upton in central London, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats urged local churches to deliver inclusive social action “with no strings attached” in order to tackle the issue of trust.

He also stressed the benefits that churches and other faith groups bring to society. Referring to the recent South Asian tsunami disaster, he said:

“So often, glimpsed in the background of the news footage about the tsunami, was the distinctive arched doorway of a church or the exterior of a mosque or synagogue, through which the boxes of blankets or clothes were being handed out to waiting lorries and vans. The religious communities have congregations with both the skills and unique willingness to serve that is a direct result of their beliefs. Society should put that commitment and that potential to good use.”

In addition to delivering his speech on the subject “Is faith important for building trust in 21st Century Britain?” Kennedy fielded questions from the audience along with others emailed or texted in by webcast viewers.

Conservative Leader Michael Howard will give his Faithworks Lecture on February 23 and a senior figure from the Labour Party will also speak at a date yet to be confirmed. All three Faithworks Lectures, as well as being webcast live on the night, can be accessed from www.faithworks.info for up to six months after the event. 

The lectures are part of the Faithworks Building Trust campaign, launched in September 2004 to encourage churches, Christians and Christian organisations to model trustworthy behaviour in their local community. This behaviour is set out in the Faithworks Charter, a 15-point code of conduct for churches to adhere to as they serve their local community. It includes principles such as “serving all people unconditionally” and “not imposing our Christian faith on others.”

“The community work of the Church is one of the nation’s best kept-secrets, with thousands of people, motivated by their faith, involved in serving the vulnerable and marginalised every day. Because of this work, the Church has a responsibility to be trustworthy in its actions. However, the Government must also demonstrate its trustworthiness by not seeing faith as a barrier to partnership with churches and other faith groups.”
Steve Chalke MBE, Founder of Faithworks

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