I don’t know if you picked up on this news story, it doesn’t seem to have received much attention from Christian commentators. It involves David Campanale, a former Liberal Democrat candidate who has won a case against the party for discrimination.
It seems that Campanale was specifically discriminated against because of his position on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. This might help shine some light on a potential conundrum. Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron stood down after the 2017 General election arguing that it was pretty much impossible for evangelical Christians to hold office in progressive parties. We’ve seem similar treatment of Kate Forbes in the SNP. However, Ed Davey has himself publicly professed Christian faith.
What we are seeing is a political environment where it is okay to be a Christian of sorts as long as you don’t make a big thing of it, don’t attempt to link your politics to your faith too closely and certainly don’t associate yourself with those beliefs that clash the most with today’s culture. Indeed, that might be said of other beliefs. We have had a Hindu Prime Minister, though notably, he struggled to get elected by his own party and lost a landslide but in any case I don’t think that Rishi Sunak made a big thing of his Hinduism. Meanwhile Sir Keir Starmer is an atheist but not of the Richard Dawkins, evangelistic variety. Our political leaders may be best off if they “don’t do God” to quote Alistair Campbell but it seems that nor should they really “do not doing God.”
Christians thinking about a vocation in politics may be left wondering what the implications of the Lib-Dem case are for them. I suspect that the victory isn’t going to change much. It might make that kind of overt bullying and discrimination less likely but those who want to discriminate and exclude will find a way.
Does that mean you should give up? I would answer “no.” There is no promise and there is no guarantee that you will succeed in politics. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. First of all, because someone, somewhere has got to speak up for truth and goodness. Secondly, because God is sovereign. If he wants you to be an unsuccessful candidate who gets to share their testimony at a selection committee meeting, that’s brilliant. If he wants you to serve as a local councillor or MP, then he will make a way. It’s unlikely in the current climate that an Evangelical Christian who shows clarity on those big ticket, hot potato ethical issues will make it to high office. However, you can still have a voice and a hearing. And indeed, who knows, things that are impossible with man are possible with God.
Faithroots 