Faith in the City

Four years after Lord Scarman's report on the Brixton disorders, and at a time of continuing urban unrest, what future is there for our inner cities and housing estates? How should the Church of England, and other bodies, including government, respond? This was the brief given by the Archbishop of Canterbury to a distinguished 18-member Commission drawn from a wide range of backgrounds. After two years of taking evidence and visiting the major cities where economic, physical and social conditions are at their most acute and depressing, the Commission's report paints a disturbing picture. The report makes recommendations to the Church about its place and responsibilities in the urban priority areas. Important recommendations are also made about public policy issues: unemployment, housing, social and community work, education, policing, and urban policy. In its call for action on a broad front, the Commission argues that Church and State must have faith in the city. There needs to be a clear commitment - and a positive response by the nation as a whole.