Dear Friends
At the time of writing this letter I am aware how difficult it is to get away from the forthcoming General Election on 7th May. Sitting in the waiting room of a garage, waiting for the two front tyres to be changed on my car, I passed the time reading the newspaper and watching the television news on the screen provided for customers. Nearly everything I read and watched seemed to be election-related. Back at home, leaflets continue to fall regularly onto the mat below the letterbox, although we have yet to have a knock on the door.
For some, religion and politics do not mix. The two together is simply not a topic for conversation. For others, their faith is strongly connected to exercising a particular political point of view. Most of us probably find ourselves somewhere in the middle of these two positions.
At the very least, it is surely a good thing that churches contribute to the political process by encouraging people to use their vote. So, for example, churches have been hosting hustings, offering a neutral venue for different party views to be aired and debated. Come Election Day, some churches will be used as polling stations, offering convenient locations for the casting of votes.
As Christians, we do not live out our faith in isolation. For one thing, we are called to be a part of Christian communities - a congregation or a fellowship. The church, as the body of Christ, is a political body in the sense that it is a structured institution, which has members, debates issues, reaches decisions and puts those decisions into action. But Christians are also a part of wider society, and it is also our calling to seek for and contribute to the common good. To my mind, part of that responsibility rests in exercising my right to cast a vote on Election Day, and in encouraging others to do the same.
Yours in Christ
Rev Phil
At the time of writing this letter I am aware how difficult it is to get away from the forthcoming General Election on 7th May. Sitting in the waiting room of a garage, waiting for the two front tyres to be changed on my car, I passed the time reading the newspaper and watching the television news on the screen provided for customers. Nearly everything I read and watched seemed to be election-related. Back at home, leaflets continue to fall regularly onto the mat below the letterbox, although we have yet to have a knock on the door.
For some, religion and politics do not mix. The two together is simply not a topic for conversation. For others, their faith is strongly connected to exercising a particular political point of view. Most of us probably find ourselves somewhere in the middle of these two positions.
At the very least, it is surely a good thing that churches contribute to the political process by encouraging people to use their vote. So, for example, churches have been hosting hustings, offering a neutral venue for different party views to be aired and debated. Come Election Day, some churches will be used as polling stations, offering convenient locations for the casting of votes.
As Christians, we do not live out our faith in isolation. For one thing, we are called to be a part of Christian communities - a congregation or a fellowship. The church, as the body of Christ, is a political body in the sense that it is a structured institution, which has members, debates issues, reaches decisions and puts those decisions into action. But Christians are also a part of wider society, and it is also our calling to seek for and contribute to the common good. To my mind, part of that responsibility rests in exercising my right to cast a vote on Election Day, and in encouraging others to do the same.
Yours in Christ
Rev Phil
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