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| At Chelmsford Cathedral, Christians got on their knees to pray about the bitter divide within British society over the chaotic Brexit process (AFP Photo/Tolga Akmen) |
Chelmsford
(United Kingdom) (AFP) - With Britain's political world in chaos over Brexit,
Christians across the country this weekend took part in special prayer sessions
hoping for some divine help in healing bitter Brexit divisions.
"It
doesn't matter whether you voted leave or remain, we're still one humanity, one
nation," Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford, told AFP after imploring
his congregation to heal the rift.
The Church
of England has promoted the initiative as "tea and prayer drop-ins"
-- combining two of its most well-known sources of comfort.
Despite a
sharp decline in church attendance, Cottrell believes faith still has the power
to unite the country after Brexit.
"It's
no good the church standing on the sidelines, waving our hands saying 'why
doesn't everybody just love each other', what we've got to do is show what that
love looks like in action," he said.
Worshipper
Angela Sadler, 65, said the church needed to play a larger role in helping
resolve the broader issues surrounding the crisis.
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Bishop of
Chelmsford Stephen Cottrell believes that faith has the power to heal
the rift
caused by Brexit (AFP Photo/Tolga Akmen)
|
"It's
quite difficult for the church because the church needs to be seen as a
non-political body, which is correct, but I also think... we need to see more
of God's love," she said.
As sunlight
flooded through the ornate stained glass windows of Chelmsford Cathedral,
Cottrell told the group of around 20 worshippers that the values of the church
could be expressed through a return to "British values" that were
"rooted in the Christian tradition".
"Those
British values of care for the underdog, care for the stranger,
tolerance."
'Prayer
is so important'
As the
floor was opened to parishioners, one woman called for help in being
"patient", something she was struggling with in the inescapable and
ever-growing crisis.
Another
echoed the bishop's call for a return to "traditional values",
although the definition of what those values are is one of many debates
swirling around Brexit, highlighting the challenges in uniting the country
around a common message.
"It's
going to be a long process, there's no easy solution to unity," said
Sadler's husband Stuart, 66.
Three years
from a hugely divisive referendum over Britain's EU membership in which the
Leave vote won by 52 percent, Anglican leaders have called for communities
across the country "to join together in conversation and prayer".
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As the
Brexit crisis deepens, the Church of England has invited communities to
come
together at its "tea and prayer drop-ins" (AFP Photo/Tolga Akmen)
|
The result
in Chelmsford was about the same as the national average, with Leave winning by
52.8 percent.
Angela
Stuart said she felt "compelled" to come to the service, "to
stand amongst others that believe the same".
"We
are a great nation and we do need the Lord in this nation, and prayer is so
important in bringing that forward," she said.
A recent
survey found that around four in 10 British adults have been left feeling
powerless, angry or worried by Brexit, exposing the mental toll being taken on
citizens.
Without
faith, it's impossible
The
early-morning service began with a reading of the parable of the Pharisee and
the tax collector from Luke's gospel, chosen as a warning against the
divisiveness of moral hubris.
"For
all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves
will be exalted," the parable ends.
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The toxic
debate about Brexit has split communities across Britain and the result
in
Chelmsford reflected that across the country where Leave won by 52.8 percent
(AFP Photo/Tolga Akmen)
|
"The
reading is about how we define ourselves, we've got to stop defining ourselves
by whether we voted leave or remain," said Cottrell, who also sits in the
parliament's House of Lords.
"We
have to define ourselves by our common humanity... by recognising the presence
of God in each other."
Retired
policeman David Gilbey, 56, said this could only be achieved through faith,
recalling a Bible passage in which Jesus tells his followers to be united,
saying: "be one, just as I am one with my Father".
"Unless
we have that unity with our heavenly Father, we haven't got anything to grip
onto," he warned.
"Everything
is slipping and sliding these days, there is no common anchor point."
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