Debate on 21 November: ResPublica Report 'Holistic Missions Social Action and the Church of England'

This report sets out the case for the Church of England to play an enlarged role in civil society as an enabler of holistic, inter-personalised, localised social action. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the debate on the report. It presents an overview of the main arguments of the ResPublica report and provides broad context to some of the issues and themes raised in it. The Note sets out background to the Government’s Big Society agenda and then considers its view of faith groups, their role in civil society and their potential as providers of public services. The Note then discusses the Church of England in relation to the Big Society agenda and concludes with some further issues raised by commentators about faith groups’ role as public services providers.