The Mayflower Declaration is a statement of political philosophy designed to be compatible with mainstream Christian beliefs and values. It was adopted by the Council of the Christian Peoples Alliance in September 2001. It is relatively succinct, running to thirteen A5 pages.
After a brief recapitulation of Christian beliefs and values, and their relevance to British politics, the Mayflower Declaration describes "six guiding principles which highlight some basic themes of Christian Democracy". These are Justice, Respect for Life, Reconciliation, Active Compassion, Wise Stewardship, and Empowerment.
The document also contains a list of goals for the Christian Peoples Alliance in the policy areas of Education, Health, Welfare, Employment, Housing, International Policy, Economics, Defence, Business, the Environment, Crime, Transport, Regeneration, Discrimination, Culture and Sport, and Agriculture.
Finally, it requires that each policy area is "to be considered in relation to both other policy areas and the following areas of focus, to ensure that all policies are considered for their impact in a range of contexts". These "following areas of focus" are: the person, the family, the community, the region, the nation, and the globe.
Read more about Mayflower Declaration: Title
Famous quotes containing the words mayflower and/or declaration:
“The improved American highway system ... isolated the American-in-transit. On his speedway ... he had no contact with the towns which he by-passed. If he stopped for food or gas, he was served no local fare or local fuel, but had one of Howard Johnson’s nationally branded ice cream flavors, and so many gallons of Exxon. This vast ocean of superhighways was nearly as free of culture as the sea traversed by the Mayflower Pilgrims.”
—Daniel J. Boorstin (b. 1914)
“I foresee the time when the painter will paint that scene, no longer going to Rome for a subject; the poet will sing it; the historian record it; and, with the Landing of the Pilgrims and the Declaration of Independence, it will be the ornament of some future national gallery, when at least the present form of slavery shall be no more here. We shall then be at liberty to weep for Captain Brown. Then, and not till then, we will take our revenge.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)