Jubilee Centre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Jubilee Centre is a Christian social reform think tank[1] based in the United Kingdom which exists to study, disseminate and apply the biblical vision for society in order to provide a positive response to the challenges faced by individuals, communities and politicians.

Contents

[edit] About the Jubilee Centre

The Jubilee Centre was founded in 1983 by Dr Michael Schluter. It believes the Bible describes a coherent vision for society that has enduring relevance for Britain and the world in the twenty-first century. At the heart of this social vision is a concern for right relationships. The relevance of this relational agenda (sometimes known as Relationism) for modern society is evident from the wide range of topics that the Jubilee Centre has explored over the years, including criminal justice, care for the elderly, asylum and immigration, and sexual ethics. Among its publications are the ground-breaking 'Jubilee Manifesto'[2] and best-selling 'Christianity, Climate Change and Sustainable Living'[3] [4] (see Books by the Jubilee Centre, below). It also produces the quarterly Cambridge Papers, an influential collection of peer-reviewed studies on contemporary issues[5] [6].

The vision of social engagement based on careful research, inspired by the example of Christian reformers such as William Wilberforce, initially led to the well-known and now independent Keep Sunday Special campaign, which was instrumental in bringing about Mrs Thatcher's first and only defeat in the Commons[7]. Its work later gave rise to a number of other organisations involved in social reform, including Credit Action, the Relationships Foundation and the international peace-building charity Concordis International. A number of groups are now drawing upon the experience and expertise of the Jubilee Centre to establish similar organisations internationally in countries as diverse as Singapore[8], Kenya[9], and the USA[10].

The Jubilee Centre is a British registered charity (No. 288783)[11], financed by private donations.

[edit] Books by the Jubilee Centre

  • Christianity, Climate Change and Sustainable Living (Spencer & White, SPCK, 2007) ISBN 0-28105-833-4
  • Jubilee Manifesto: a framework, agenda and strategy for Christian social reform (Schluter & Ashcroft (eds), IVP, 2005) ISBN 1-84474-074-9
  • Votewise: helping Christians engage with the issues (Spencer, SPCK, 2004) ISBN 0-28105-683-8
  • Asylum and immigration: a Christian perspective on a polarised debate (Spencer, Paternoster, 2004) ISBN 1-84227-271-3
  • Christian perspectives on law and relationism (Beaumont & Wotherspoon (eds), Paternoster, 2000) ISBN 0-85364-994-4
  • Christianity in a changing world (Michael Schluter and the Cambridge Papers Group, Zondervan, 2000) ISBN 0-55103-241-3
  • Relational Justice: Repairing the breach (Burnside & Baker (eds), Waterside Press, 1994) ISBN 1-87287-022-8

[edit] References

  1. ^ Experts say marriage isn't so important now. The Times. Retrieved on 30 May 2008. “According to the Jubilee Centre, a Christian-based social reform organisation...”
  2. ^ Jubilee Manifesto. UK Christian Bookshops Directory: Christian Book Reviews. Retrieved on 6 June 2008. “This is probably the second best book I've ever read.”
  3. ^ Extract: Christianity, Climate Change and Sustainable Living. The Times. Retrieved on 6 June 2008.
  4. ^ Tearfund supports new book on climate change and sustainable living. Tearfund. Retrieved on 6 June 2008. “Christianity, Climate Change and Sustainable Living is a groundbreaking new book looking at a Christian response to climate change.”
  5. ^ Defining Evangelicalism. Fulcrum. Retrieved on 30 May 2008. “Jon Kuhrt: I would agree that places like the Jubilee Centre and the Cambridge papers are doing high quality work ... Darren Moore: Check out something like the Cambridge papers & see the breadth of social concern”
  6. ^ The Jubilee Centre Winter School, January 2007. Potton Vineyard Church. Retrieved on 30 May 2008. “The Jubilee Centre Winter School (was) a seminal, life changing experience ... various publications, including the internationally well-known Cambridge Papers”
  7. ^ Seven Days' Trading Make One Weak? The Sunday Trading Issue as an Index of Secularization. The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 45, No. 3 (Sep., 1994), pp. 333-348. Retrieved on 30 May 2008. “The Parliamentary battle over the 1985/6 Shops Bill, designed to relax most of Britain's Sunday Trading laws, was the biggest defeat ever suffered by the Thatcher govern- ment: although the government had an absolute majority of 139 it was defeated by 14 votes. Christian lobby groups, such as the Cambridge- based Keep Sunday Special Campaign played a key role, alongside the trade unions and other opponents, in achieving this result.”
  8. ^ Building a School. Shalom Singapore. Retrieved on 30 May 2008. “Under the joint partnership between SHALOM SINGAPORE and THE JUBILEE CENTRE in Cambridge, UK”
  9. ^ Corruption, firm growth and export propensity in Kenya. International Journal of Social Economics. Retrieved on 30 May 2008. “Comments from Michael Schluter of the Jubilee Centre, Cambridge are acknowledged”
  10. ^ New director for Jubilee Centre. Christian Today. Retrieved on 30 May 2008. “the Christian research centre is planning to expand its international network into such places as Singapore, Kenya, Holland and the USA.”
  11. ^ Extract from the Central Register of Charities: Jubilee Centre. The Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved on 30 May 2008.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links