Bishop invites debate of future of Wales

The Bishop of St Asaph will use his St David’s Day letter to clergy to ask what sort of Wales should emerge from lockdown.

In the letter, known as an Ad Clerum, Gregory Cameron offers his three wishes for a future Wales after Coronavirus restrictions are lifted. They are:

• a nation that prioritises the health and well-being of the most needy
• a Wales in which diversity can thrive
• a Wales in which faith can flourish

He goes on to encourage others to have their say, using the hastag #futureWales to encourage debate and discussion.

Bishop Gregory, who will celebrate 12 years as Bishop of St Asaph in April, opens his letter, saying, “Our nation of Wales will have a future which is defined by two events that happened last year – the arrival of Brexit, and the arrival of Covid-19. The second has rather eclipsed the first, but they will both change the nature of our nation. As we celebrate St David’s Day, I find myself asking what sort of Wales do I want to emerge from lockdown?”

Later in the letter, Bishop Gregory says: “I am proud of the way in which Wales has led the roll out of the vaccine. I must admit that my initial scepticism has been proved wrong.”

In his call for diversity to thrive, he expresses his concerns that a proposal going through the Senedd at the moment, seeking “to guarantee a basic entitlement to an education curriculum…could deaden the diversity of education offered.”

In his final wish, Bishop Gregory says: “We have to accept that Christianity is ceasing to be the majority faith in Wales, but that does not mean the triumph of secularism. It is about allowing the finest of what different spiritualities, including humanism, can teach and contribute, and a freedom of conscience in which the strong expression of individual faith and Religious Education is not seen as something to be feared, but to be celebrated.”

Bishop Gregory is calling for people from all sorts of backgrounds to express their wishes for Wales post-lockdown.

His full message follows in English and Welsh.

Our nation of Wales will have a future which is defined by two events that happened last year – the arrival of Brexit, and the arrival of Covid-19. The second has rather eclipsed the first, but they will both change the nature of our nation. As we celebrate St David’s Day, I find myself asking what sort of Wales do I want to emerge from lockdown?

First, I want a nation that prioritises the health and well-being of the most needy. We can rightly be proud of what we have achieved in our communities over lockdown – caring for the weak and those in need. Not least, I am proud of the way in which Wales has led the roll out of the vaccine. I must admit that my initial scepticism has been proved wrong. Only recently, Archbishop John pointed out that the eradication of homelessness in Wales is not beyond our reach. What a goal for 2022!

Secondly, I want to see a Wales in which diversity can thrive. During Covid we have learned that to be Welsh is not about our origins, but about our solidarity – that we stand together as a community whatever our differences. One of our strengths in Wales is that we are a thick community, where the ties of neighbours bind us closely together in a pattern of mutual support and concern. However, a thick community can be dangerous if it smothers diversity and requires uniformity. The nation of Wales must allow human flourishing in a way which allows each individual to become themselves. There is a proposal going through the Senedd at the moment which seeks to guarantee a basic entitlement to an education curriculum. It is good as far as it goes, but there are aspects of the proposals which would deaden the diversity of education offered – in particular in respect of different faith provision. I would regret this.

Thirdly, I want a Wales in which faith can flourish. Not the imposition of Anglicanism, note, marvellous though I believe Anglicanism to be. I want a nation in which everyone is free to speak the truth as they see it, and to engage in respectful and inquiring dialogue. We have to accept that Christianity is ceasing to be the majority faith in Wales, but that does not mean the triumph of secularism. It is about allowing the finest of what different spiritualities, including humanism, can teach and contribute, and a freedom of conscience in which the strong expression of individual faith and Religious Education is not seen as something to be feared, but to be celebrated.

I could go on, but for now, I’ll content myself with these three aspirations. I look forward to learning yours. Do contribute: #futurewales

Ad Clerum – Dydd Gŵyl Ddewi, 1 Mawrth 2021

Bydd dyfodol Cymru, ein cenedl, yn cael ei ddiffinio gan ddau ddigwyddiad o’r llynedd - dyfodiad Beit a dyfodiad Covid-19. Mae’r ail wedi tueddu i guddio’r cyntaf, ond bydd y ddau’n newid natur ein cenedl. Wrth i ni ddathlu Dydd Gŵyl Ddewi, rwy’n dechrau pendroni pa fath o Gymru yr hoffwn i ei gweld yn ymddangos o’r cyfnod clo?

Yn gyntaf, rwyf eisiau cenedl sy'n blaenoriaethau iechyd a llesiant y mwyaf anghenus. Gallwn ni fod yn haeddiannol falch o'r hyn rydyn ni wedi’i gyflawni yn ein cymunedau yn ystod y cyfnod clo—gofalu am gwan a’r rhai mewn angen. Ac, yn enwedig, rwy'n falch o sut mae Cymru wedi llwyddo i arwain yn y dasg o frechu cymaint o bobl. Mae’n rhaid i mi gyfaddef fod yr amheuon oedd gen i ar y cychwyn wedi’u chwalu. Dim ond yn ddiweddar, tynnodd yr Archesgob John ein sylw nad yw cael gwared ar ddigartrefedd yng Nghymru y tu hwnt i’n cyrraedd. Am nod ar gyfer 2021!

Yn ail, rwyf eisiau gweld Cymru lle gall gwahaniaethau blodeuo. Y wers yn ystod y cyfnod Codid yw nad ein tarddiad sy’n ein gwneud yn Gymry ond ein hundod – ein bod yn sefyll gyda’n gilydd fel cymuned beth bynnag yw ein gwahaniaethau. Un o’n cryfderau yng Nghymru yw ein bod yn gymdeithas glos, lle mae clymau ein cymdogion yn ein cadw gyda'n gilydd mewn patrwm o gyd-ddibyniaeth a chyd-ofalu. Ond, gall cymdeithas glos fod yn beryglus os yw’n llethu amrywiaeth ac yn mynnu unffurfiaeth. Mae’n rhaid i Gymru'r genedl ganiatáu i bobl ffynnu mewn ffordd lle mae pob unigolyn yn gallu bod yn fo neu’n hi ei hun. Mae yna gynnig yn mynd trwy’r Senedd ar hyn o bryd sy’n ceisio gwarantu hawl sylfaenol i gwricwlwm addysg. Mae’n iawn cyn belled ag y mae’n mynd, ond mae yna agweddau ohono a fyddai’n llaw farw ar amrywiaeth yr addysg sy’n cael ei gynnig,- yn enwedig ynghylch y gwahanol ddarpariaethau ar gyfer ffydd. Fe fyddwn i’n edifar pe byddai hynny'n cael ei wireddu.

Yn drydydd, rydw i eisiau Cymru lle mae ffydd yn gallu ffynnu. Nid gorfodi Anglicaniaeth, cofiwch, er mor wych rwy’n credu y gall Anglicaniaeth fod. Rwy eisiau cenedl lle mae pawb yn rhydd i ddweud y gwir fel y maen nhw’n ei weld ac i drafod yn barchus ac yn ymholgar. Mae’n rhaid i ni dderbyn fod Cristnogaeth yn prysur ddarfod fel ffydd y mwyafrif yng Nghymru, ond nid yw hynny'n golygu fod seciwlariaeth yn trechu. Mae’n golygu caniatáu beth allai'r hyn sydd orau ym mhob ysbrydoldeb, gan gynnwys dynyddiaeth, ei ddysgu a’i gyfrannu, a bod rhyddid cydwybod lle nad yw mynegiant cryf o ffydd bersonol ac Addysg Grefyddol yn cael ei weld fel bygythiad ond fel rhywbeth i'w ddathlu.

Fe allwn i fynd yn fy mlaen ond, ar hyn o bryd, mi fodlonaf i ar y tri dyhead yma. Rwy’n edrych ymlaen at beth yw eich rhai chi. Cofiwch gyfrannu, #dyfodolcymru