politics & policy
Are we good-news people?
Krish Kandiah
It’s time for us to rediscover our good news heritage. We cannot continue to stand by and watch as Christianity in general and evangelicalism in particular becomes increasingly associated with a political stance that is hostile, apathetic or nationalistic, or with a social stance that is judgmental and separatist.
More often than not when secular commentators talk about evangelicals, they are talking less about Christians that hold to a set of gospel beliefs and more about a demographic group who vote in a certain way in US elections. It is tragic that we are too often defined more by our views on sex, death and immigration than by our views on the resurrection and eternal life. We are, sadly, becoming better known for what we stand against than what we stand for.
politics & policy
The Christian vote
Krish Kandiah
This year more people will vote in an election than ever before in world history.
More than 4.17 billion people in 76 countries will seek to elect new governments, which is around 51% of the global population, according to figures published in The Economist. India, Russia and Iran will go to the polls, as well as the UK and the US. In some countries open, fair elections are little more than rhetoric, however the overall impact of this geopolitical moment for the planet could be enormous.
politics & policy
My ‘Cocaine Bear’ mistake
Krish Kandiah
I recently made the mistake of watching Cocaine Bear. It’s a B-movie based on the unlikely, but apparently true, story of Class A narcotics that were lost in a US national park and then found and ingested by a black bear.
The mind-altered bear then goes on the rampage, attacking tourists. I found myself frequently jumping in shock, gasping in horror, and squeezing my eyes shut in disbelief during the course of the film – much to the amusement of the person sitting beside me on the plane at the time.
politics & policy
Families and God’s grace
Krish Kandiah
A while back I got a call out of the blue from a Swiss bank. For a moment I began imagining they were ringing to inform me of a secret cache of gold they had discovered in my name.
It turned out they had something of rather less monetary significance to give me, but something arguably even more valuable.
politics & policy
Gutter politics & attack ads
Krish Kandiah
The countdown has already begun for the next general election, as can be seen by the new wave of heated political rhetoric, gutter politics and attack ads.
In this climate, I often struggle to feel comfortable in the political sphere to which God has called me. And yet I recognise that it is when politics is at its darkest that Christians can raise their voices and values to enable the barrier-breaking unconditional love of God to shine most brightly. The beaming picture of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak alongside the allegation that he is personally responsible for the lack of prison time for those who sexually assault children has definitely brought headlines for the Labour Party over the past few weeks. It has also reminded the country of the Conservative Party’s equally low blow a few years ago when Prime Minister Boris Johnson accused Sir Keir Starmer of failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile.