Christians in Politics Course 2020

Christians in Politics Course 2020
Whether it be for environmental protection, workers’ rights, gay rights, gender equality or democracy it is fair to say that the 2010s was the decade of the activist. Millions of people have taken to the streets in the UK. people of all faiths and none have felt so energised, impassioned and upset that the only course of action left for them has been to protest. Almost all of it has been peaceful, some has been intentionally, and dare I say, justifiably disruptive. Civil disobedience for the sake of social transformation should always be the last resort, it should always be incredibly well planned so as not to put people’s lives at risk, and should always be incredibly well implemented so as not to make the disruption the issue, but instead move people to think about the problem. You can make up your own mind which protests have met this standard!
Political activism has been guilty in the past of short-sightedness. Paying too much attention to catching the wave of feeling and being ignorant to the bigger struggle. It has often been impulsive. It is my belief that long-lasting change is more likely to occur through a social activism that is engaged in people’s lives, and the subtleties of ordinary political and community life, dialogue and debate. Church community work, grassroots work, and community progressive ventures are great examples of these things.
It is interesting that activism is rarely about reforming education. A pre-emptive activism that seeks to negate the need to protest might be to actively help create a curriculum that is biased toward the social needs of the future; reforming education so that belief, virtues and ethics are taught as subjects alongside core disciplines like Maths and English. This might better help our young people (and indeed adults too) to understand ‘vocation’ in terms of ‘life purpose’ or ‘calling’ instead of wealth, status, or material success.
Christians should be transforming culture according to the standards of God’s Word, and the way of Christ. Which is to love God and to love those around us. In the past, for the love of God and neighbour Christians have indeed influenced culture in such areas as eradicating poverty, teaching of literacy, education for all, political freedom, economic freedom, science, medicine, the family, the arts, and the sanctity of life. But within every generation there rises new social or political challenges, the key thing here is to realise that for things to change people have to show up. Christians in Britain also ought to remember that we can no longer see ourselves as a cultural majority. Change doesn’t come from a position of power but a position of witness.  So how do we witness, and what should a Christian activism look like?
Why not join us for the first session of the ‘Christians in Politics’ course at All Saints Highertown. It is for people in the church as well as out of the church, for those that feel like they want to make a difference but aren’t sure how, and for those that feel they are making a different and would like to share.
All over the UK the Church is doing an incredible job. We’re running foodbanks, mentoring at-risk teenagers, counselling those in debt, being friends to the elderly, sheltering the homeless, running parent-toddler groups, homework clubs, music/arts workshops, healing on the streets, sports camps, working with prisoners, community choirs. This is wonderful. But there is a danger. Martin Luther King said that as Christians we enjoy being the Good Samaritan on life’s roadside. It often feels good to help someone and see the change up close. But he went on to ask, “Who is going back to the Jericho road?” In other words, who is making sure that no one else gets mugged. Do we need more street lighting? More CCTV cameras? More police on the beat? The thing is that those political decisions happen in fairly dull committees pouring over statistics and reports. Not as exciting as seeing that change right in your face. But if we don’t show up in those places, the Church may spend the next fifty years trying to be the nation’s paramedic, treating the victims of a flawed system but failing to bring righteousness and justice to the system itself.
It’s good to be the Good Samaritan but it’s also good to give him the odd day off. Some of us need to be in the system. Might that be you? Don’t just vote. Show up!”
Yours in Christ – Revd Jeremy Putnam
Find out more about the Christians in Politics Course on our website www.asht.org.uk. The first session “Show Up!” starts at 7pm on 10th February (following dates are Feb 24th, Mar 9th, 23rd, Apr 27th, 11th May)
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