Editorial: Thinking about the common good?
Anna Rankin

From the director: Untold stories
David W Porter

Faith and Politics After Christendom
Jonathan Bartley

Comment: Doing the Right Thing
Karen Jardine

Give Generously and Change the World?
Alwyn Thomson

Economics and the Common Good
Esmond Birnie

Interview with Jim Wells (MLA): Polishing our Cars
Anna Rankin

Review: No Longer Strangers
Mercia Malcolm

Division and Diversity: Churches in a plural society
Fran Porter

Buying in - Opting out
Sean Mullan

Interview with Fr Mariusz Dabrowski: Meet the neighbours
Anna Rankin

Questions & Answers: Reader survey responses
Anna Rankin

Review: Mark: Gospel of Action
Allen Sleith

Bible Study: The Common Good
Donal McKeown

Difficult Conversations: Let's talk about tax...
Lynda Gould

New Resource
Out of the Depths

< Past Issues Archive

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
Let’s talk about tax...

WELCOME AND ORIENTATION
5 minutes
Welcome participants to the conversation and remind them of the purpose and spirit of the dialogue. Then take some time to set the tone for the conversation together. Let the group know something of the flow of the conversation, identifying the key stages in the process and the different places where there will be opportunities to feedback comments from each participant. Explain your role as facilitator.

AGREEMENTS AND HOPES
15 minutes
Divide into small groups and allow a few minutes to identify three guidelines for a good conversation. Then as a whole group identify three guidelines that are acceptable to all. Again in small groups (you may want to change groups) invite people to share their hopes and expectations for the conversation. If time and numbers permit, invite people to express their hopes to the whole group.

FIRST REFLECTION AND QUESTIONS
20 minutes
Read and/or have the following reflection written on a handout:

It is now second nature for most of us to take our unwanted clothes and household objects to the charity shop, knowing that we have made a contribution to the needs of the poor. Similarly, disaster appeals receive widespread support through television and radio. Christians know that they should be generous and care for the poor, and many do give regularly and sacrificially to charitable causes, but have you ever considered that paying tax is a form of charitable giving and a means of contributing to the needs of society as a whole? When we pay our taxes we are being good citizens within the law, but we are also contributing to a fair and just society. Yet most of us balk at tax deductions in our salaries and when we pay for goods and services. I wonder if anyone would be brave enough to preach a sermon that affirms the worth of paying tax and challenges the grudging attitude many of us have towards contributing to needs of others in this way?

• What are your thoughts about paying taxes?
• Where in church life do you have opportunities to talk about money, care for the poor and vulnerable, the welfare of all and citizenship?

Ask one or two pairs to share the essence of their conversation with the whole group. (Keep this short, you are looking for comments not feedback from each pair.)

FACILITATED CONVERSATION
45 minutes
Read and/or have the following reflection written on a handout:

The first Christians had no welfare state. Those who were at risk – orphans, widows, children, and the sick – were dependent on their families and their community for help. Christians were dependent on the generosity of their fellow believers in the church.

In fact, it is not that long ago that there was no comprehensive welfare state anywhere. And when there was some kind of provision for the poor and vulnerable it was often provided by churches and organised around the parish system. However, gradually the state took over so that now in most western societies the state provides services once provided by the church.

Of course, the money to run the welfare system does not come from Tony Blair or Gordon Brown; it comes from you and me. If you pay tax, then roughly 25% of what you earn goes straight to the state in Income Tax and National Insurance. On top of that, almost everything you buy is taxed at a minimum of 17.5%. If you are buying petrol or alcohol you are paying a great deal more. So, all of us who are taxpayers are handing over at least 40% of our income to the state to provide for the community through education, health, social care and public housing. This is generous giving and, whether we like it or not, taxation is an effective mechanism by which Christians contribute to the welfare of all in society. Before we give money to other charitable causes, we have committed our earnings to the state to care for the poor and vulnerable in society. Often though, our commitment to or our involvement with this generous giving ends when the payslip is filed, or the self-assessment form is posted. Surely we should be more interested in how our taxes are spent? To do that though means we need to get involved in the political realm, and for many political activism is not an obvious dimension to active citizenship. So let's talk about tax...

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS
Encourage people to form groups of no more than six. Use all or select relevant questions from those below: (more are available online)

• In what ways do you agree or disagree with Alwyn's assertion that paying tax is a valuable way that Christians care for the marginalised and disadvantaged in society?
• P60s indicate how much tax has been paid during the year. If you had paid the same amount of money to an individual or charity what level of accountability would you expect from them regarding your gift?
• Should Christians get involved in politics and hold governments to account for how they spend the taxes we pay? “Whatever makes men good Christians makes them good citizens,” Daniel Webster (1782 - 1852), US Secretary of State and Orator.
• What do you think makes a person a “good citizen”?

Ask some people to share the essence of their conversation with the whole group. (Discourage verbatim accounts.)

PARTING WORDS
15 minutes
Ask people to mention one idea, feeling, commitment or promising question that they are taking with them. After hearing from all who wish to speak, thank participants and ask for general feedback.

If you use this resource, we would value your feedback on how it went. Call us, use our online message board or email Lynda Gould

LYNDA GOULD is a Programme Director at the Centre for Contemporary Christianity.

The “Difficult Conversation” Programme encourages people to have conversations about things that are difficult to address.
(A full outline of the Conversation Process and additional resources are available online at www.contemporarychristianity.org/resources/programmeresources.htm)

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