Westminster College, Cambridge, hosted Hope in the Public Square - a two-day hybrid conference organised by the Jubilee Centre in partnership with Cambridge Papers.
Participants gathered in-person and online from across the UK, to explore how a relational perspective can shape responses to today’s most pressing public issues.
Dr Michael Schluter opened the event by tracing the history of relational thinking through the work of the Jubilee Centre and other initiatives. He urged participants to assess public life not only by political or economic outcomes, but by the quality of the relationships it nurtures. “Is this the prime time to capture public attention for a relational approach to society’s challenges?” he asked.
The programme addressed a wide range of concerns. On climate change, Paul Mills spoke about the rise of anxiety linked to climate alarmism, calling for responsible stewardship of the environment while avoiding the trap of paralysing fear. Mims Schluter Atkinson reflected on how Christians can encourage younger generations to step into society with confidence and hope.
Matthew Ferguson highlighted the challenge of demographic decline. He described how younger generations are bearing growing economic and social burdens, discouraging family formation and contributing to what he called a “population timebomb.”
Mills also examined the UK’s rising public debt, now at £12.3 trillion (435 per cent of GDP), noting the heavy burden this places on the next generation: “What we have at hand is big debt inherited and fewer taxpayers.”
Other sessions widened the lens. Krisztina Mair presented research suggesting that half of Britons believe they share their homes with ghosts, highlighting the need for churches to equip young people to engage wisely with spiritual questions. Rev Dr Ian Stackhouse revisited the Covid-19 pandemic, questioning the use of fear to enforce lockdowns and underscoring the irreplaceable value of face-to-face community in an increasingly digital age.
Across these discussions, a common theme emerged: the call to root public policy in Biblical and relational principles. From economics and demography to climate, spirituality and technology, the sessions pointed to a shared conviction - that relationships lie at the heart of a flourishing society.
Building on its long history of advancing relational thinking, the Jubilee Centre left the conference with renewed momentum to shape public life with wisdom, hope and vision for the future. To follow the latest from the Centre, click here.
