Faith Matters June 2024: Leighton Linslade Churches Together
What has faith to do with politics? Faith affects all of life, even politics.
Faith affects every aspect of our lives. It is not restricted to religious behaviour. Everything including home life, work, leisure, the economy, and politics are influenced by faith.
There are some who find their faith leads them into religious vocations: - nuns, monks, priests, imams and so on. But for many it is in industry, commerce, arts, administration, health, education, social work, or politics that they feel called to express their faith.
Harvey Gillman, a Quaker, put it like this,
“…religion … must take into account the whole of our humanity: our attitudes to other human beings in our most intimate as well as social and political relationships. It must also take account of our life in the world around us, the way we live, the way we treat animals and the environment...” (Excerpt from Quaker faith & practice: Fifth edition)
Just as faith can be shown in many different occupations so it can be realised in different forms of politics. Some countries have a form of theocracy, and the government may consist of religious figures. Some have religious political parties within a system of democracy. In the UK there are people of faith in all the major political parties. Certainly, religion and faith are not separate from politics.
Faith can lead to different political allegiances because of different priorities and policies. Key concerns might be sustainability, or health, or poverty, or education or any others. Playing a full part in the political process based on faith means more than just voting. Engaging with policy making locally and nationally, or protesting against unjust laws, or being willing to serve in a public office are all possible because of faith. Faith is about life in all its aspects. So, vote, but also engage with the candidates read the manifestos and talk with friends and neighbours about the issues.