GENERAL ELECTION RESOURCES LINKS REFLECT, PRAY, ACT, VOTE

The General Election takes place on May 6th.
Many church and other faith-based organisations have produced useful, challenging and informative General Election focussed web-based liturgical and campaigning resources. These include:
Church of England resources, briefing and prayers: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/generalelection
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland GE policy guides and details of hustings meetings: http://www.ctbi.org.uk/427

The Christian Institute have produced an Election Briefing Paper giving information about the policies of the political parties and key background information on legislation and public policy: http://www.christian.org.uk
The free churches have produced a comprehensive guide to the key issues facing voters from a faith perspective and further advice regarding hustings meetings. Read it at: www.churcheselection.org.uk
Christians in Politics: http://www.christiansinpolitics.org.uk
Ekklesia produce daily briefings at: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk
Theos discuss faith and politics at: www.theosthinktank.co.uk
The Jubilee Centre in Cambridge have produced Votewise 2010- a guide to the election and detailed small group materials: http://www.jubilee-centre.org
CARE produce news based briefings at: www.care.org.uk
The Roman Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have published “Choosing the Common Good” which can be accessed via: http://www.rcdow.org.uk
Read the Westminster “declaration of Christian conscience” at: http://www.westminster2010.org.uk
Faithworks have interviewed party leaders and promote their declaration supporting the role of faith communities in welfare and wider public service provision at: http://www.faithworks.info
Several Christian organisations are calling on voters and candidates to support the people fleeing persecution and oppression by promoting the Sanctuary Pledge: http://sanctuarypledge.org.uk
Church Action on Poverty are promoting an accountability pledge for candidates: www.church-poverty.org.uk/2010election
Housing Justice briefings can be accessed at: http://www.housingjustice.org.uk
The Criminal Justice Alliance has produced a briefing comparing party policies on criminal justice issues: http://www.criminaljusticealliance.org/electionmanifestosbriefing.pdf
The Churches Criminal Justice Forum have produced a range of election briefings which can be found at: www.ccjf.org.uk
Many organisations are calling for a “Robin Hood tax” on banks to pay for welfare services. More information at: http://robinhoodtax.org.uk
The Churches Criminal Justice Forum have produced a range of election briefings which can be found at: www.ccjf.org.uk
CORD asks us to “vote global”: http://www.cord.org.uk/the-latest/latest-news/cord-latest/16-in-general-news/343-vote-global-in-the-uk-general-election.html
The Salvation Army has produced its own manifesto which can be found at: www.salvationarmy.org.uk
Church House Bookshop has a selection of political and election reading for sale at: www.chbookshop.co.uk
For those concerned about extremist politics, resources can be found at: http://www.hopenothate.org.uk
Further local news and information can be found at: http://www.networknorwich.co.uk
We will continue to publish information including details of Church hosted hustings event in Norfolk at www.norwich.anglican.org

Please note that there is of course no obvious “Christian way to vote” and people of religious faith are actively involved in all parties. Each has a Christian group or forum which can be contacted via official party websites
This list is by no means exhaustive. For further information or recommendations on other useful resources, please contact Rev Simon Wilson, Diocese of Norwich Social and Community Concerns Co-ordinator via: simon.wilson@norwich.anglican.org