A few weeks ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, experienced the schizophrenia of the organized right. After his presiding at the coronation of King Charles in early May he was lauded as a pillar of tradition and order. Just days later the very same people eviscerated the man as a “Marxist” and a “fool” who should “mind his own bloody business.”
The reason is that he issued a passionate condemnation of the Conservative government’s migrant legislation, describing it as “morally unacceptable”. He continued, “It risks great damage to the UK’s interests and reputation at home and abroad, let alone the interests of those in need of protection or the nations who together face this challenge.”
He was absolutely correct of course. The policy was raw, reactionary, and intended to appeal to the populism that is sadly active in Britain. Not just the UK, however. We see it all too frequently in the US and now in Canada. There was a time when political disagreement in this country was conducted with a degree of decorum and moderation. That pattern is long gone.
It’s now increasingly about spasm and shouting, and hatred and hysteria. It’s moved far beyond bizarre and conspiracy-soaked convoys in Ottawa and F*** Trudeau flags flying from jacked-up pickups, to irresponsible antics in parliament and downright lies. There may be lots to criticize about past Canadian Prime Ministers and leaders of the opposition but they would never have plummeted to the levels we now see almost every day.
Which leads us back to an Anglican archbishop in England and what we can learn from him. As a priest, as a Christian, as part of a church, I so wish that Canadian politicians were more often held to account by organized Christianity. Our leaders do sometimes try, and their position is not as constitutional or significant as it is in England, but surely much more can be done.
Those on the Christian right certainly make their voices heard, as we saw during Covid and still see when issues of life and sexuality are discussed. But the mainstream churches, those that represent the vast majority of Christians, are far less noticeable. There’s a valid and natural concern about appearing to be partisan, but the intention is to be authentically political rather than party political. There’s also a failure to deliver the message properly even when it exists. Church leaders do sometimes speak out but they seldom communicate powerfully and successfully, and as a consequence they’re largely forgotten.
It’s a common and enormous error to assume that Jesus wasn’t political. He explicitly rejected one of the major parties of the time – the Pharisees – and implicitly criticized the other two leading factions. Calling for a permanent revolution of the self, the community, the context, and the entire world was hardly an apolitical ministry!
When governments, any governments, introduce policies that harm the poor, the homeless, and the marginalized; when governments, any governments, introduce policies that exclusively support the wealthy, the powerful, and the complacent, then we have a Christian problem.
If a politician libels a critic, tries to reduce complex and vital issues to simplistic and right-wing slogans, or to characterize an opponent as personally evil, silence simply isn’t an option. Passivity in the face of such horror won’t do! Christ terrified and provoked the political and social establishment not only because he claimed to be the Messiah but also because he exposed evil and corruption without fear or favour.
None of this is uniquely Christian of course, and other religions and most secular people feel the same way, but in a country that still assumes a Christian foundation and even worldview there’s no option for Christian leaders but to contribute to the national debate and try to shake it in the proper direction. And it’s incredibly naïve to think that those of us in the church somehow don’t understand the what is around us or are isolated. We see the world often at its darkest and most challenging, up front and every day. More a concrete jungle than an ivory tower.
I want to see a time when certain politicians demand that church leaders mind their own bloody business, remember their place, and keep out of politics. Like us, dislike us, but don’t ignore us. When politicians become angry at church leaders, I’ll know that the Gospel, the truly radical and subversive Gospel, is smashing its way into public life. I’ll be waiting and I’m certain that I speak for many.
