Founding meeting of the

FNSC
The
Fellowship
Fellowship of Non-Subscribing Christians
FNSC
ISSUE 1 - 2014
An accord on the future of
our Christian tradition
Inside
Reason and Faith
Is Britain a Christian Country?
Assisted Dying - A View
The Past, Present and Future
What Faith &
Ministry Mean to Me
Liberal Christian
or Liberal Religion?
FNSC Meeting
at Stalybridge
Monday, June 23rd, 2014
at 7 p.m.
Details on back cover
75p
The Fellowship of Non-Subscribing Christians
Mission Statement
We, the Fellowship of Non-Subscribing Christians, affirm:
that Jesus Christ is the sole Head of the One Church to which all Christians are
called;
that Christians are united, not by creed, but by a common standard of
behaviour after the example of Christ;
that the authority of conscience in matters of faith, and in the understanding
the Bible, is our sacred right;
that all Christians, of whatever tradition, and sharing a common baptism, can
and should unite on this basis.
Aim
To unite in common endeavour all Christians resident in the United Kingdom
and Irish Republic, who accept the preamble above and who object to compul-
sory subscription to creeds as the defining standard of their Christian faith.
Objects
To encourage the advancement of Christian faith
To unite in common work and worship
To provide a spiritual home to individual Non-Subscribing Christians throughout
the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
To encourage thoughtful understanding of scripture
To co-operate with such denominations whose purpose is in accordance with
our own
To raise such funds as may be necessary for the furtherance of objects
Membership
Membership of the Fellowship shall be opening to all Christians resident in the
United Kingdom or the Irish Republic, and who accept the Preamble above, the
Constitution of this Fellowship, and upon the payment of a yearly subscription
to be determined from time to time by the General Purposes Committee of this
Fellowship.
Committee
Hon. President: Rt. Rev. Paul Reid
Chair: Rev. Bob Pounder
Joint Secretary (Ireland): Rev. Chris Wilson
Joint Secretary (Britain): Rev. Tom McCready
Treasurer: Rev. Brian Cockroft
Press and Publicity Officer: Rev. Bob Pounder
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FNSC 2014 The Fellowship keeping you in touch
Editorial
Welcome to the first issue of The Fellowship, the newsletter for non-credal
Christians in Britain and Ireland. In seeking affiliation with the Non-Subscribing
Presbyterian Church of Ireland we affirm also our Unitarian and Free Christian
traditions and extend inclusion to those of a Trinitarian view also. Therefore our
organisation is named the FNSC (Fellowship of Non-Subcribing Christians).
There is a tendency these days to refer to various theological perspectives as
either being Left or Right as though the use of such labels can be used to define
progressives against conservatives with the progressives invariably being the
'good guys'.Today in real life politics, as is increasingly recognised, the notion of
left and right is becoming increasingly blurred in the face of political correctness
and authoritarian liberalism.
The Fellowship (FNSC) is to not to be defined in these simplistic terms. We are
first and foremost, liberal Christians. We believe in tolerance, freedom of thought,
freedom of speech, and social equality. But we are also Christians believing in the
values of traditional marriage, the sanctity of life, and personal and moral
responsibility.
Through the example of Jesus of Nazareth and his teachings we believe that we
are called to live our lives to our full potential and we believe that our churches
were built for all things holy and the worship of God. We are tolerant of other faiths
and beliefs but we are not pluralists. Rather, we are liberal Christians and ours is
uncompromisingly a Christian church. Join us, join the Fellowship now!
Notice Board
June 23rd, FNSC Meeting at Stalybridge at 7 p.m.
Annual General Meeting of FNSC
Saturday, September 13th, 1 p.m. at Moneyreagh Non-Subscribing
Presbyterian Church, Church Road, Moneyreagh,
Co. Down, B23 6BA.
Membership Enquiries: sandra1wilson@aol.com
Published by the FNSC, 27 Marne Avenue, Ashton-under-Lyne,
Lancashire, OL6 9DW. bob.pounder@zen.co.uk
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The Fellowship Keeping you in touch
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FNSC 2014
Reason and
Faith Need
Each Other
What it Means to be
a Liberal Christian
by
Rev. Chris Wilson
Sometimes Non-subscribing
Presbyterians can be
referred to as liberal
Christians. Bearing this
mind, I thought it might be of
interest to share some
thoughts as to what this
means:
Point 1 - Introducing liberalism in
Christianity
The liberal Christian affirms in
common with Unitarian Christians all
of the following:
That the Bible is our foundation
document defining the Christian
community
That revelation is not sealed, but
rather is on-going
That authority lies neither in scriptu-
re in tradition, but in conscience
Rev. Chris Wilson with his dog, Jess
That creedal statements, represent no
more than provisional ideas
That Reason and Faith are
complementary; rather than in
opposition
That God calls us into loving
relationships, into community, one
with another
That orthopraxy (right-action); is more
important than orthodoxy (right-think-
ing)
Point 2 - The Bible is our foundation
document
But, the Bible should not be read
dogmatically. It needs to be read
contextually, intelligently, its
contradictions recognised. Inspired by
God, it may be, but it was written by
men who were products of their time
and place. Two conclusions arise:
That exclusive were right youre
wrong! interpretations of scripture
should be eschewed
That Biblical meaning is not fixed, but
changes through time, as reason and
experience illuminates
Point 3 - Revelation is not sealed!
The idea that God has only spoken in
and through the Bible, is not accept-
able. We all need a little more mod-
esty, and a little less certainty. Again,
consequences follow:
That God may speak in and through
other traditions, as well as our own
That God may still speak in ways
which challenge us and our prejudices
That dialogue may be a way to
encounter different understandings of
the Divine
Point 4 - Authority is found in informed
conscience
Authority is found in informed
conscience said James Martineau in
the 19th century. God speaks in and
through individual conscience, the
voice within, that still small voice
heard by Elijah, those centuries ago
and heard still.
Point 5 Creeds are a problem
Creeds can cause division. They can
only ever represent partial understand-
ing. The Nicene Creed causes difficulty
not just for liberal Christians, but also,
of course, to dialogue. If we affirm God
as One, met in Jesus through the Holy
Spirit, this can open up opportunities
for conversation for some, but admit-
tedly may still cause difficulties for oth-
ers. Let us not allow creeds or the lack
of creeds to become a barrier to the
worship of God and the teachings of
Jesus.
Point 6 Reason and Faith need each
other
As Reason, and science illuminate,
maps the stars, understands the
elements, so should we respect its in-
sights, step-back, change our views, as
necessary confident always in the
knowledge that mystery will remain at
the heart of the human condition and
that faith will always be our map to
guide this experience.
Loving Community
As a Christian, and as a Minister, I
believe my own calling to be to preach
the Kingdom of God, not as a millennial
event, but as something realised in and
through loving acts, the loving commu-
nity; realised eschatology as the the-
ologians would have it. This means the
imperative, to reach out to others, to
love God, and neighbour as self; in
particular when your neighbour seems
different. Liberal Christianity affirms all
to be children of God, of all faiths, of all
creeds, of all traditions, and classes,
however we may differ from one
another.
The Rev. Christopher Wilson, MA is
Minister at Moneyreagh
Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church,
County Down, Northern Ireland.
have found, like me, that what David
Cameron actually wrote was fairly rea-
sonable.
Whilst our nations leader did say
Britain is a Christian country, and there
are various arguments for and against
this viewpoint, he followed this imme-
diately by acknowledging the value of
other faiths and followed this later on
in his piece with an observation that
some agnostics and atheists can be
more disciplined in their day-to-day liv-
ing out of a moral code than some
Christians.
We could perhaps assume such opin-
ions point to a Christian who recog-
nises the need for religious tolerance
based on respect and humility.
But David Cameron didnt just stop
there, going further to note so-called
Christian values are found in other
faiths. And many Christians would
agree they share much in common
with their Muslim and Jewish neigh-
bours, amongst others, in their con-
cern for family life, marriage, the
sanctity of life, social justice and so
on. Not a uniformity of opinion by any
means, but a shared sense of these
being important concerns that require
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In an open letter to The Telegraph,
the liberal establishment
condemned the Prime Minister
David Camerons assertion that
Britain is still a Christian country
as fostering alienation and
division within our society.
Matt Grant takes an alternative
view . . .
Much was made of the Prime
Ministers comments in The
Church Times ahead of Easter,
at least in media circles. Indeed,
if you only read the protest letter to The
Telegraph signed by various leading hu-
manist and atheist types, you might be
forgiven for thinking that David Cameron
had declared Britain to be a Christian
country in a similar vein to Ruhollah
Khomeini declaring Iran an Islamic
country in 1979.
However, if like me, you took the time to
see what all the fuss was about and
googled the My faith in the Church of
England article and detached a little
from political cynicism then you may
careful consideration. In drawing at-
tention to such commonalities, we
might go beyond mere tolerance and
suggest David Cameron has em-
braced a healthy level of universalism.
Reading around on his comments, it is
worth highlighting it was reported
leading figures from the Muslim Coun-
cil of Britain, Network of Sikh Organi-
sations and Hindu Council UK, rather
than being offended, in fact welcomed
them.
What readers of The Fellowship may
be particularly interested to note is
that the Prime Minister also said, on
the issue of belief, I am not one for
doctrinal purity, and I don't believe it is
essential for evangelism about the
Church's role in our society or its im-
portance. So on top of religious toler-
ance, on top of a healthy level of
universalism, we may wonder if David
Cameron is of the same position as
ours?
A position that upholds Christianity,
not as an institution that seeks to
dominate society but rather as a
stream of culture (or counter-culture)
that seeks to enrich society. Not as a
rigid belief system but as a framework
through which we can try to make
sense of the world and act fruitfully
in it. Not as a sect that claims exclu-
sive ownership of Truth but a way of
being that we feel brings forth Truth
for us, personally and communally.
This form of Christianity may well be
a relatively new discovery for the
Prime Minister but for the denomina-
tion in which we stand, it is a light
that has been carried from genera-
tion to generation of Unitarian, Free
and Non-Subscribing Christians for
around four centuries and not with-
out cost. And it is a light in a too
often dark world we feel called to
continue to gather around, to pre-
serve and renew, and to evangelise
for.
So Prime Minister, if you are reading
this, you are quite welcome to join
us! (Although please dont anticipate
the same amount of agreement
when it comes to some of your
policies)
Is Britain still a Christian Country?
As the PM set out in his speech to commemorate the 400th
anniversary of the King James Bible, the UK is still a Christian
and country should not be afraid to say so.
(Downing Street spokesman)
The Fellowship Keeping you in touch FNSC 2014
Matt Grant is a liberal Christian who
attends Cheadle Hulme Quaker
Meeting and is currently enrolled on a
Unitarian lay worship leaders course.
Matt Grant
The LCP (Liverpool Care
Pathway) was supposed to
provide end-of-life care for
patients in the final days or
hours of their life. The LCP pro-
cedure involved the withdrawal of
any life supporting treatment, and
artificial dehydration and sedation.
Death would usually follow within
approximately 29 hours. . .
It is claimed that up to 130,000
patients a year had their lives
terminated under this procedure.The
NHS has denied that the LCP was a
form of euthanasia for the elderly.
However many relatives of the
deceased would not agree with this
and others feel that their loved ones
have been killed without any consulta-
tion whatsoever. 'Murdered' is an ex-
pression that is not uncommonly used
by those so bereaved. Significantly, an
NHS statement reads:
The LCP is intended to allow people
with a terminal illness to die with dig-
nity. But there have been a number of
high-profile allegations that people
have been placed on the LCP without
consent or their friends or familys
knowledge. While legal consent is not
required to place a patient on the LCP,
the fact that the plan is being consid-
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ered should always be discussed with
a relative or carer and, if possible, the
patient themselves"
The astonishing thing about all this is
the clear statement that 'legal consent
is not required'. How one defines legal
consent in terms of the termination of
human life is in itself a complex ques-
tion, but in this context it simply means
that doctors who were working within
the LCP procedures were not answer-
able in law to allegations of taking life
without consent.
Professor Pullicino, a consultant neu-
rologist for East Kent Hospitals and
Professor of Clinical Neurosciences
said, The lack of evidence for initiat-
ing the Liverpool Care Pathway makes
it an assisted death pathway rather
than a care pathway. Very likely many
elderly patients who could live
substantially longer are being killed by
the LCP.
Concerns have also been raised about
hospitals receiving payments for
increasing the number of patients who
are placed on the LCP: I am deeply
disturbed that financial incentives are
linked with LCP, which must call into
question at least some of the
prognoses and decisions made. (In-
dependent Review of Liverpool Care
Pathway). The LCP will be completely
The Fellowship Keeping you in touch FNSC 2014
Assisted Dying - A View
What does it say about a society that appears more
concerned with death than life?
by Bob Pounder
phased out by July 2014. Instead
each hopsital will have its own proce-
dure. However, anyone familiar with
the problems of care for elderly people
either in the public or private sector,
will know that everything changes and
nothing really does.
In spite of the shocking scandal
centred on the LCP and the often
blas attitude towards the end-of-life
treatment of the elderly we are some-
how still meant to welcome the so-
called progressive campaigns for the
legalisation of assisted suicide now
euphemistically labelled 'assisted
dying'. The House of Lords is now
preparing to debate, in July, Lord Fal-
coners Assisted Dying Bill so that
assisted dying ' can be legally
extended to the rest of the population,
thus allowing doctors to prescribe a
lethal dose of drugs to terminally ill
patients judged to have less than six
months to live. The patients would
administer the fatal dose themselves
although they would be able to receive
help if they could not lift or swallow it
and this would have to be authorised
by two doctors.
The principle of the sanctity of life, the
idea that life is worth living and that
ultimately effective pain management
can substantially ease the natural
transition from life to death is slowly
being sidelined by the idea that seems
to place emphasis on a good death
rather than a good life. In the words of
the writer and political commentator
Mick Hulme, "What does it say about
our own society that many people
seem more moved and engaged with-
the demand for a good death than
any political movement for a better
life?"
This preoccupation with euthanasia is
not going away, rather it is a harbinger
of an unwelcome cultural change to
Christians and an affront to those who
see life as a precious gift from God, to
those who believe that all life is
valuable and worth living. The
elevation of the wish to 'end it all' as
being an acceptable alternative to
these values is not enlightened think-
ing but rather reveals a cynicism that
puts vulnerable, elderly and disabled
people at risk.
One may say that such sentiment is
merely scare mongering but euthana-
sia, assisted dying for children
became legal in Belgium last February
and more recently The Guardian re-
ported that, "A Swiss organisation that
helps people take their own lives has
voted to extend its services to elderly
people who are not terminally ill." In
other words age related illnesses or
psychological problems associated
with aging would now be sufficient
reason to end one's life. In the UK we
can be assured that the Assisted
Dying Bill will be the thin end of the
wedge. In 2000, when the Dutch gov-
ernment legalised euthanasia it was
said to be the first government since
the Nazis to do so. This is not social
progress but a regression to a
pre-Christian era.
The Rev. Bob Pounder is Minister at
Unitarian Chapel, Oldham.
I do not have to
search my memory
or stretch my imagi-
nation to come up
with the line of scrip-
ture that has the
most meaning for my
ministry at Doncaster
Unitarian and Free
Christian Church for
it is proclaimed in the
trust deeds of 1912
where the church is
dedicated thus: For
the Life Abundant,
Through Union with
God, in the Spirit of Christ.
Everyone will recognise the reference
from John 10:10 I am come that they
might have life, and have it more
abundantly and in that single line is
summed up the purpose not only of
ministry but of religion: to affirm the
transcendent and to assist people to
come to an understanding and
acceptance of the life abundant that is
on offer when life is lived according to
love. That is the impact of the intimate
relationship with the sacred and
eternal presence of God that the
teachings of Jesus represent.
Do I think Britain is still a
Christian country?
In the best sense I think this country
is more Christian than it has ever
been, because I think Christian faith
in this country is more personal, more
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FNSC 2014 The Fellowship keeping you in touch
serious and more gen-
uine. And if there are only
10% of people attending
services today compared
to 40 or 50 years ago; if
those people are there
because they want to be
there and not because
they have been driven
there by the pressures of
social conformity and
threats of eternal damna-
tion, then thats a big
improvement.
There may be fewer people
who call themselves Christian and
regularly attend worship but if more
and more of them are getting better
and better in following the call of
Christ to love God and love your
neighbour then it may even be that
there are more Christians, i.e.
followers of Christ, among us than at
any time.
When the requirement for all under-
graduates to attend morning service at
the universities of Oxford and
Cambridge was abolished in 1947, the
popular theologian C. S. Lewis ob-
served the average attendance at his
own chapel drop overnight from 250 to
25. Good. he said, Now we know
who means it.
The Rev.Tom McCready is Minister at
Doncaster Unitarian
and Free Christian Church
What Faith & Ministry Mean to Me
by Tom McCready
Tom McCready
Stalybridge Unitarian
Church and Sunday School
Unitarianism officially came to Staly-
bridge on 13th July 1862. It did not
happen overnight; much preparation,
planning, soul searching and false
starts is testament to the fact that a
group of dedicated people worked
hard to get the project up and running.
It has been said that churches spend
too much time talking about their his-
tory; it is fashionable in some circles to
try to dismiss history as an
irrelevance. But history is important we
do not necessarily rely on it to prove a
point but we must never forget it. It is
what we are.
We at Stalybridge have always been a
Free Christian Church and Sunday
School; we were established as that
and we still remain the same. Some
people will try to say we are wrong,
some will insult us by calling us old
fashioned, out of touch and outdated;
that will not change us. It is impossible
to put on and take off Christianity like
an old jacket. Its something you keep
for life, the stories may be old but the
message is as fresh as ever.
At the centenary in 1962 a booklet en-
titled The Growing of the Seed was
published. This publication chronicles
the first hundred years of our history
and is a fascinating read.
The penultimate paragraph is worth
considering carefully:
We know that advances are upon
us and we are concerned for our
childrens religious future. If there
be inertia we must cast it off. In the
new day which is beginning we
must gather our forces, we must
train ourselves for a great task, and
the task formidable though it may
well be, is simply to assure the
future of Stalybridge Unitarian
Church and Sunday School. Hob
Hill must for ever remain the centre
of a community of Free Christians
unfettered to dogma or creed.
The people who went before us and
the people yet to come deserve
nothing less.
Mr Ken Howard is the Warden at
Stalybridge Unitarian Church
THE PAST
THE PRESENT
AND THE FUTURE
by Ken Howard