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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Holy See

13th December 2011

Has Europe Lost its Soul?

Pope Benedict XVI and Lord Jonathan Sacks
On 12 December 2011, Lord Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, was received in Audience by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Photo: L’Osservatore Romano copyright, all rights reserved (photo@ossrom.va)

The chatter in Europe over the last few weeks has been dominated by the economic crisis. Can the Euro be saved? Is Britain isolated? Who is to blame? What do the markets think?

The Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks, also discussed the European economic crisis during his recent three day visit to Rome and the Holy See. But during his audience with Pope Benedict XVI, and his lecture at the Pontifical Gregorian University, he took a rather different standpoint from most commentators.

He asked: “Has Europe Lost its Soul?”. Like Pope Benedict, he argued that Europe is, above all else, facing a moral crisis of which the economic failures are a symptom. And that religious leaders should speak out, and be heard, before Europe loses its way irrevocably. In particular, he argued that “the future health of Europe, politically, economically and culturally, has a spiritual dimension. Lose that and we lose much else besides.”

I was particularly struck by the Chief Rabbi’s reminder of the Judaeo-Christian origins of the market economy. The market was once a moral vehicle, stimulating states to trade with each other and win together, not fight for the spoils and lose. Moral restraint – credit from “credo”, I believe; confidence from “fide”, shared faith; trust – was what underpinned the market. But we have lost the imperative of the pursuit of the common good in our reliance on self-interest. Modern capitalist practices have too often lost touch with the original capitalist principles, and we have seen the system come crashing around our ears.

The Chief Rabbi also reminded his audience at the Gregorian that there is much that has a price but no value. And much that we should value more which is priceless: family, community, human relationships. It is easy to become lost in the maze of commentary and controversy surrounding the economic crisis. In all this, religious leaders can help to remind us what is really important, and to find the exit route.

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About Nigel Baker

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as…

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Havana, Cuba (2003-6) and then as British Ambassador in La Paz, Bolivia (2007-11). In July 2016, Nigel finished his posting, and is currently back in London.

As the first British Ambassador to the Holy See ever to have a blog, Nigel provided a regular window on what the Embassy and the Ambassador does. The blogs covered a wide range of issues, from Royal and Ministerial visits to Diplomacy and Faith, freedom of religion, human trafficking and climate change.

More on Nigel’s career

Nigel was based in London between 1998 and 2003. He spent two years on European Union issues (for the UK 1998 EU Presidency and on European Security and Defence questions), before crossing St James’s Park to work for three years as The Assistant Private Secretary to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. At St James’s Palace, Nigel worked on international issues, including the management of The Prince of Wales’s overseas visits and tours, on the Commonwealth, interfaith issues, the arts and international development.

Nigel spent much of the early part of his FCO career in Central Europe, after an initial stint as Desk Officer for the Maghreb countries in the Near East and North Africa department (1990-91). Between 1992 and 1996, Nigel served in the British embassies in Prague and Bratislava, the latter being created in 1993 after the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into the separate Czech and Slovak Republics.

Nigel joined the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in September 1989. Between 1996 and 1998 he took a two year academic sabbatical to research and write about themes in 18th century European history, being based in Verona but also researching in Cambridge, Paris and Naples. The research followed from Nigel’s time as a student at Cambridge (1985-88) where he read history and was awarded a First Class Honours degree, followed by his MA in 1992.

Before joining the Foreign Office, Nigel worked briefly for the Conservative Research Department in London at the time of the 1989 European election campaign.

Nigel married Alexandra (Sasha) in 1997. They have one son, Benjamin, born in Bolivia in September 2008.

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