Public Space and Private Faith

This essay considers the opportunities and challenges for the Christian gospel in a culture which demands the privatisation of religious faith. Public life is increasingly based upon an unspoken faith in secular libreral humanism-which is widely assumed to be normative for modern civilised people. This new religion worships the god of ``Toleration`` offering freedom for every unique individual to flourish on their own terms. Public space simply provides a holding framework. The Gospel of Jesus Christ poses a powerful challenge and creative alternative to this implicit but all pervasiveideology.