However, it is time to move the debate forward: how does faith continue to play a significant role in public life without being divisive or excluding? The discussion will not bear fruit until we have reached agreement on this. That is why we are heartened that the Faithworks Charter, a framework of best practice principles for Christian groups involved in delivering services, has been highlighted as an example of good practice with potential for wider application. The charter can help churches deliver excellent standards in serving others, and demonstrate to government and the public that they can be taken seriously as providers of local services.

Although the report was commissioned by the Church of England, it was produced independently by a respected Christian Institute based at Cambridge University. It stands as a useful contribution to a genuine and robust ongoing dialogue that is not just taking place within the Church of England, but between many faith and belief groups and government.

We celebrate the fact that the church in this country extends beyond the Anglican Communion. There are thousands of excellent examples of Christian groups of all denominations working to transform communities across the UK. We strongly encourage the Church of England to continue to advance its commitment to cross-denominational partnership working, which helps avoid an attitude of patronage, and prevents falling into the trap of ‘silo’ working which could lead to unnecessary duplication of services.

Genuine partnership can only strengthen what people of faith and belief can do. Faithworks is ready, willing and able to contribute to this debate and support Christians of all denominations in building bridges with their communities and government.

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What the report makes clear is that institutional dialogue alone will never lead to genuine partnership between church and government. Faithworks believes that transformation is only possible when it begins at the local level. When the local church and government engage with each other, this will feed up to regional government, and on to national level and policy-making. This bottom-up approach is the only way to lasting change in our communities. This must involve those motivated by faith or belief.

Hundreds of Faithworks member projects are already working successfully in this way, in projects as diverse as foreign language tuition for immigrants and alternative education programmes for children excluded from mainstream education. This model is replicable, but only when it is recognised as the source of lasting transformation. Since its inception in 2001, Faithworks has been working on building capacity, resourcing and enabling organisations that are motivated by their Christian faith to serve their communities

Faithworks has always stood for a place where the church is in the public square but not in government’s pocket. Churches, along with different faith groups and the wider voluntary sector, must ardently protect our independence and our unique approach to serving others. We are not a pale imitation of government programmes and initiatives.

Moral, without a compass makes a vital contribution to this debate – but a debate demands more than one voice. Local churches and their leaders have a moral responsibility to consider ways in which we can engage with our local communities, celebrate our distinctive motivation and discover common values with people of different faith and people of none. It is not enough to stand on the edge of our communities and blame politicians for the problems and challenges we face. Perhaps we, as part of the church must ask ourselves whether we have allowed our moral compasses to be set to too narrow an agenda.