Con-version: Insights from a former PM

What should one make of former PM Tony Blair’s lecture on faith and globalisation given at Westminster Cathedral on April 3^rd, 2008? I am comforted by the fact that April 3^rd did not fall far from April 1^st helping me take this confession and talk on “Divining the Global Soul” as part of April's liturgical calendar. I need to be a generous fool, however, especially given Blair’s confession: “Since leaving office, I have understood better a phenomenon I understood only partially as Prime Minister.” Perhaps, another term in office would have seen Britain’s 1^st converted PM in office? That would have certainly made news. Or am I dreaming?

What is it with former PM’s and Presidents that make them become so peace-making, spiritual and concerned for the well-being of the world that they travel from place to place to lecture and work for peace, especially when they are out of office? But let us give our former PM the benefit of the doubt: that possibility of a change of heart and perspective, and do not bother too much about the nice sums of money he rakes in for doing these tours and talks.

It is interesting that Blair’s lecture and confessions did not even bother to mention how he messed up over Iraq and how unstable the world scene has become as a result. Likewise no mention of the economic woes and food crisis can be discerned on the radar screen of his lecture, even though he recognises that in the 21^st century the world is becoming more interdependent. Apparently not when it comes to who is suffering. I wonder which world Blair is talking about: is it “A” world, “B” world or “Left-Overs” world?

Certainly, Churches will be happy that a former high profile PM can now declare how religion and faith has not disappeared, but is at the core of the lives of millions of people. And, we cannot agree more with him about the role of faith and the place of interfaith encounter. Not that Blair is saying anything new. But people may just believe him rather than the religious leaders and especially since he is not in office. But do not be fooled by the rhetoric of Tony Blair even if it sounds churchy and holy. A close scrutiny of the edited version of his speech as it appeared in The Tablet raises some interesting questions as to what Blair perceives as the great power of religion and faith, revealing in the process an un-deconstructed white privileged British male.

Here is a former PM, whose government could not have apologised for the Transatlantic Slave Trade, noting that the commemoration (he used celebration) of the 200^th anniversary of the act to abolish the slave trade ought to remind people of the many leaders of the abolition movement who were Christians. I suppose that the enslaved Africans with their religious heritage were just passive onlookers or had some underdeveloped religion or faith. Now out of office the former PM can also see plainly how the centre of world is shifting fastly to the East. And in this rising of the East, the man of faith queries about the values this new world will use to guide it. Yes, India and China seem not to possess the values to help them to cope with their success. What could be more paternalistic than that? And even more, Blair goes on to note that this shift of power from its traditional centre will make the world “immeasurably poorer, more dangerous, more fragile, and above all, more aimless” especially if it is “without a strong spiritual dimension”. What kind of spiritual dimension do you think Blair has in mind? And, what has the strong spiritual dimension of euro-centric Christianity, Blair’s heritage, done for the world over the years.

What a con-version?

copyright© jagessar 2008