‘Speaking truth to power,’ as the Archbishop did, is among the Church’s roles

LAST Sunday (Easter) was, of course, a major day of celebration for the Christian Church. Believers will have gathered all across the world to declare their conviction that the Easter story of death and resurrection holds a message of hope for all. Nevertheless, to find words from a sermon preached that day dominating the news headlines was surprising, to say the least.

When the Archbishop of Canterbury described aspects of current Government policy as “unethical and ungodly”, all kinds of emotions were aroused.

There were those who declared that the Church should not involve itself in politics. Presumably those critics of Justin Welby believe that faith is a personal matter. It is there to bring comfort to those who need it and should not concern itself with issues of the wider world.

Others (and I must include myself in this number) would see a central part of the Church’s role as having to ‘speak truth to power’. Some of my favourite words of scripture come from the prophet Micah.

He said that what God wants from people is that we should “act justly, love mercy” and walk humbly with him. This means that wherever we see people being treated badly, or systems that oppress, we must speak up and act to change things, regardless of political party. It was such an attitude that saw Christians in the past campaigning to abolish slavery, fighting for union representation and working for prison reform. They are not unique in this: many others, of faith or none, have worked to make this world a better place. Thank God for those who, on seeing injustice, will not sit back and do nothing. My concern is not that a Christian leader has spoken out but that we do not do so often enough.

If I am ever minded to keep quiet and pursue my own agenda, I hope I will call to mind the words of the late, great Desmond Tutu. He memorably said, “Whenever people tell me that Christianity and politics don’t mix, I have to ask what Bible are they reading?”