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A link between the nations
Perhaps the most important aspect of the Channel Tunnel is the fact that it makes a link between the nations; not just between England and France, but Britain to Continental Europe. And not just a physical link, but also a link between people, communities, cultures, traditions and histories. Jean Monnet, one of the 'architects' of the European Community, once said that "the European Community is not about uniting states but uniting peoples". The English are slowly learning to becoming British Europeans! St Paul describes his vision of God's purpose as bringing together all things in heaven and on earth into a unity through Christ. All that was previously divided and fragmented will be restored and reunited. It is possible, is it not, to see even the Channel Tunnel as a part of this divine purpose. The issue for us: It is hard to see for ourselves, and harder to persuade other people, that God's activity can be so visible, in the real world of today. Hardest of all is to motivate people to respond in ways which might change the church, and even change the world. But a God who continually changes and renews our world is indeed visible and active before our very eyes. |
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A threat to national security
Many people in Great Britain have long memories, and many remember how nearly these islands were overrun during world war two. The Channel has been our moat and defence, and we have not been occupied by a foreign power since the Norman invasion. Therefore, some say, the Channel Tunnel is rupturing our moat, undermining (quite literally) our natural defences, offering a new target for terrorists, and a new channel for drugs and disease. But we must live in the present, although the past often holds the key to understanding where we are. Europe is changing, and we as Christians must make our contribution to the new Europe that is emerging - in the words of Jacques Delors, we must "give a soul, a meaning, a spirituality to Europe". We are caught up in these changes; we must press on in hope and faith. Life is a pilgrimage - whether the life of the individual or the life of the nation. The issue for us: For many people uncertainty is a way of life, especially over the last few decades. People are unwilling to take risks, and many people hark back to the so-called 'good old days'. Nostalgia has become very popular, and inhibits the search for a clear vision. How can we, as Christians, give people the confidence to look forward even without knowing the answers? |
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An economic necessity
All the forecasts indicate steady growth in trade within Europe over the foreseeable future, and most of the UK imports and exports travel via Dover. The European Single Market is a trading community of millions of people, and the UK must participate fully in the new opportunities. But the European Union must not be simply about economic growth and economic strength; there are other criteria such as the moral quality of the Union and its (our!) responsibility towards the whole world, which are of equal if not greater importance. The issue for us: The European Union dropped the middle word 'Economic' some years ago, but the importance of the economic factor is undisputed. The danger now exists that wealth will become centralised in the so-called Golden Triangle, and that while the Euro may bring economic benefits to members of "Euroland", the single currency will further disadvantage the poorer members of the Union. As a result the peripheral regions of Europe will lose out on the benefits of the Single Market. What influence can the churches bring to ensure justice for those at risk of marginalisation? |
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An unwarranted sacrifice
In Kent especially there is an element of sacrifice both in the Channel Tunnel project itself and also in associated projects. The re-routing of the A20 road into Dover which caused the demolition of 80 houses and a school on the new route, the development of business parks on green field sites, the coming of the High Speed Rail Link and the uncertain future of Ashford as a town awaiting development - all these have an effect on the quality of life of many people. In the Bible, sacrifice is expressed in terms of both death and life. There are losses and gains.
The issue for us: Experience suggests that some people will lose and others will gain in the Channel Tunnel enterprise. How can the churches ensure that those who probably will lose will be dealt with sensitively? Who will become the victims in this project, and who will be the "redeemed"? |
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A symbol of involvement
The Channel Tunnel is as much a symbol as a reality. Indeed we need symbols in order to see realities more clearly. The Channel Tunnel has a different symbolism from that of the Ferries. A ferry plies from shore to shore, from the edge of one country to the edge of another; it does not "belong" to either land, but to the sea in between. It is a symbol of access, a sea-going taxi. But the Channel Tunnel operates from within this country to within France, without leaving our common earth. The traveller emerges at the end of the journey surrounded by a new culture, history, climate, tradition. It is a symbol of involvement, of engagement with the other country and its life. The issue for us: The Church lives in two realities - we are at once citizens of heaven and citizens of this world. It is tempting to concentrate on the heavenly, but we must remember that our God is a God of Incarnation, who seeks to transform this world. |
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A place of employment
The Channel Tunnel employs some 5,000 people, which is good news for south-east Kent and northern France. But unemployment is a serious problem throughout Kent-Nord-Pas de Calais, and the gain in new jobs has been offset by the greater losses elsewhere, especially in the ferry industry and allied businesses. Increasing competition between Ferries and Tunnel, the Joint Venture between P&O and Stena and the loss of duty-free sales back in 1999 have all combined to increase pressure on employers to cut back on costs. The issue for us: Many people who become unemployed are in jobs associated with the cross-Channel industry, and for them it will be hard to find different work. How can we demonstrate our concern for them in practical ways, and how might we co-operate with agencies already working in this field? |
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A symbol of reconciliation
We are a Community of fifteen nations, and that number will increase dramatically in 2004. The origins of the European Union lie in the desire to prevent war between the nations of Europe, and in that it has been successful. But there remains deep distrust and even hatred between whole nations and between regions; we have witnessed the savagery of "ethnic cleansing" and the breakup of communities into warring factions. The Community can remain a community in name alone, a technical term for a trading area; or it can begin to tackle some of these deep-seated hostilities by urging penitence, forgiveness and reconciliation. The issue for us: A call to penitence is unwelcome, since people do not wish to think of the past nor to deal with it. The churches must persist in this conviction, that penitence and forgiveness alone can lead to reconciliation, which is at the heart of a new Europe. |
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A connection to rail networks
The function of the Channel Tunnel is to link the rail network in Continental Europe with that of the United Kingdom. Our problems in Britain are fourfold: our rail network is under-invested; we lack a coherent national strategy for transport; many secondary routes were closed and dismantled thirty years ago; and privatisation has dis-integrated the former network into a jigsaw of competing companies. All this raises important questions of accessibility for industries away from the mainline routes. The specific problem of a high speed link is well known. The issue for us: To many people the continuing problems of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link demonstrates a lack of commitment to rail transport on the part of previous governments. Roads are being widened and lorries are getting heavier and longer. Pollution is an international problem made worse in the UK by our having a large population in a cramped island. Can the churches work in partnership with the community to press for a change in attitude not only in the business community but amongst the public at large? |
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An example of human ingenuity
The complexity of the Channel Tunnel project is remarkable and the fact that so much has been achieved speaks of human creativity. It is a series of inter-related disciplines and skills that has produced the result we can see. The project has perhaps given a sense of satisfaction to those involved. There is a similar sense of satisfaction amongst many of those who operate the system; both the construction phase and the operational phase have released human creativity, which is a gift from God. The issue for us: Work is a human activity which finds its source in the divine purpose. Too often in our modern world work is seen as a drudgery, almost as a punishment, and living only begins when work ends. Too often "work" is taken only to mean "employment", and this demeans many who work voluntarily. How can we influence the church to think again about the theology of work, as everyone's contribution to the common good and worthy of dignity and respect? |
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An "environmental disaster"
Inevitably this vast construction has affected the environment, both human and natural. Part of the countryside has vanished for ever, buried under concrete and earth. Many in Kent resent the damage done to the "garden of England", although such damage has been inflicted over many years, long before the Channel Tunnel construction began. The balance between necessary development and necessary conservation is a very fine one, and many people are out of balance on such issues. The issue for us: We have to remember that we are trustees of the world we live in. It is not ours to exploit without care for the future. The church carries this message and finds allies in many groups concerned with ecological and environmental issues. But the balance must be kept: the human environment is as precious as the natural environment, and progress although inevitable and unstoppable can be controlled and directed. |