Staying Human: Reimagining the Spirit of the Commons
with Professor Luke Bretherton
The first in our 2025 Staying Human Series, this lecture was held on 19 February at the London Jesuit Centre before a live, invited audience of 70. The event was simultaneously livestreamed and the audio is now available as a podcast via the button below. The text of the lecture can also be downloaded below.
We find ourselves in a period of epochal change as we move into an emerging new era. Amidst cultural confusion, we see fragmentation, dehumanising systems, the breakdown of trust and extreme inequality. As concentrations of money and state power intensify, people feel the loss of agency. There is a growing discontent. Burning questions around how to uphold a common life and how to stay human, hang over us as we try to make sense of what is going on.
In such an unstable context, how should the churches respond? While some are drawn to shoring up tradition, others are rejecting it; some turn to evangelism, some to social action, others to experimental ministries. Some place their faith in managerial strategy, others in contemplative withdrawal, while others are deconstructing, and some are drawn to despair. In institutional form, many churches, in a state of vulnerability, are often tempted into a defensive posture.
However, we are not to be afraid. God is at work, inviting us to participate in spiritual and civic renewal. But what will that look like in such a challenging environment? We are weary and often stuck in old patterns. What could inspire us into a new, constructive imagination? Inspired by our friend, the late Frank Field, we believe these challenges must be faced with honesty and courage.
We invited Professor Luke Bretherton to speak for us. Bringing deep knowledge of political theology and grounded experience and uniquely gifted to set the scene in which we can discern our way forward, Luke said:
“It is tempting to react to change in defensive or offensive ways. But being Christian demands a constructive response. It invites us to rediscover – with our neighbours, in the places where we live – a Christ-centred story. The times call for a renewed democratic vision, enacted not through political parties or legal procedures, but through highly participatory and relational local forms of association. We need to cultivate that God-shaped space,unmediated by the powers of market and state, where we discover what it means to be human with and for others.”
Jenny Sinclair, Founder and Director of Together for the Common Good, said:
“The upheaval going on across western societies is profound, and the shape of the new era is far from settled. Christians are responding in a variety of ways – some bullish, some indifferent, some in despair. Yet the times call for honesty and courage. As dehumanising forces grow in power, it is imperative that we find ways to stay human. Reimagining the spirit of the commons is going to be a key part of that journey. It is an honour to have Professor Luke Bretherton speak for us. Bringing deep knowledge of political theology and grounded experience, he is uniquely gifted to set the scene for a frank and spirit-filled conversation as we discern our way forward together.”
Rev Canon Prof Luke Bretherton is the newly appointed Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Christ Church, Oxford, where he also directs the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Life. Until recently he was the Robert E. Cushman Distinguished Professor of Moral and Political Theology at Duke University, USA and Visiting Professor at St Mellitus Theological College, London. Alongside his academic work, he has deep experience of community organising and practical collaborations with churches, charities and mission agencies. His most recent books include A Primer in Christian Ethics (CUP, 2023) and Christ and the Common Life (Eerdmans, 2019).
We are grateful to CCLA, the UK’s largest charity fund manager, for making this event possible.
