In Depth:  politics

politics & policy

James Mildred

In December last year, OpenAI launched Chat GPT-4. It’s the most advanced chatbot yet, employing cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI).

You can ask it any question and it will come up with an answer, because it has access to a colossal amount of data. This extends even to the finer points of Baptist covenant theology, as I discovered recently.

politics & policy

James Mildred

The Public Order Act is primarily about restricting the right to protest, or, depending on your political views, it’s about preventing campaign groups from interrupting your daily life. Naturally, Ministers have told us repeatedly that the Bill is necessary. But there’s one part of it that I want to draw your attention to.

Clause Ten means that significant restrictions are now in place on what people can and cannot do within a radius of an abortion facility. It introduces across England and Wales a national ‘buffer zone’ policy. It’s the exact same policy idea that was roundly rejected in 2018 by the then Home Secretary, Sajid Javid. At that time, the government did a data collection exercise and concluded that instances of genuine harassment outside abortion facilities were in the minority. Most pro-life vigils, it concluded, were peaceful and prayerful.

politics & policy

James Mildred

We all love free speech. It’s a precious thing that aids the mission of the church because it means we can proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, largely without fear of police interference.

Free speech also means that we can teach what the Bible says on issues where we are especially counter-cultural, like human identity and sexuality, or being genuinely pro-life.

politics & policy

James Mildred

Just before Christmas I read two articles by two different authors. One was by The Times Scotland columnist Alex Massie. He said he used to be in favour of the legalisation of assisted suicide, but now wondered whether any such law could be safely implemented. The other was by Sonia Sodha in the Guardian. She also used to be in favour but now opposes any change in the law on similar grounds.

Both these authors have been influenced by the horror show that is unfolding in Canada, where assisted suicide and a form of euthanasia have been legal since 2016. It shows you the importance of looking at the evidence from other countries and making sure as many people as possible know about what’s been going on.

politics & policy

James Mildred

Why does CARE engage with politicians and bring a Biblical perspective to laws and legislation?

There is one reason among many that stands out to me. As the mission agency to UK politics, we believe that Biblical principles for human flourishing are good for all in society. Respecting the building blocks of society that God has created is the first step towards a fairer and more just society. And if we don’t bring these values into the corridors of power, how will politicians ever hear them?

politics & policy

James Mildred

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). This verse reveals to us the very essence of Christianity. For at its heart is a self-denying, self-sacrificial love.

It is demonstrated in history by the Lord Jesus. He did not lay down His life for friends only, but for His enemies! As our pioneer, we His followers are called to show this sacrificial love in our marriages, in singleness, in friendship, in family, in the church and towards wider society.

politics & policy

James Mildred

By the time the next issue of en comes out, the United Kingdom will have a new Prime Minister.

At the time of writing, the last two candidates are busy appealing to Conservative Party members with a wide variety of promises and prophecies about how successful they’ll be in the post. Whatever your personal feelings about the two, it’s a huge job. The reputational damage of the last few years also doesn’t help.

politics & policy

James Mildred

It was a sermon, of all things, that triggered the recent leadership election for a new Prime Minister.

At the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast, the Revd Les Isaac, who set up Street Pastors, spoke about integrity and the common good. In the audience was the soon-to-be-former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the then Health Secretary, Sajid Javid. In launching his leadership bid, Mr Javid said it was listening to Isaac that convinced him he had to resign, helping trigger the downfall of Boris Johnson. If nothing else, surely, it’s a reminder of the power of preaching!

politics & policy

James Mildred

Being an MP is an incredibly difficult job. There are the long debates, often, sadly, with a near-empty chamber. And the rise of social media has created a new burden, especially for women politicians: it’s an arena where anyone and everyone is free to let you know just how much they despise you.

For MPs based outside of London, but even for those in London, there are long periods of time away from loved ones. Alongside the demands of the job at Westminster, there’s also constituency work as well. Not to mention constant campaigning, assisting colleagues and the expectation that you’ll be a good party player.

James Mildred

Our society is at a crossroads. The borrowed capital of historical Christian influence is running out. We now have leaders who create rules only to break them, and then use up hours of energy and time denying, dodging, and evading scrutiny.

With a cost-of-living crisis only set to get worse before it gets any better, families will be forced to choose between eating and heating. Of course, this is not new, but the sheer scale of the problem is frightening. Inflation is on the rise. Recession looms large. The Lord is shaking the nation.

politics & policy

James Mildred

She’s enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years. Once she was widely mocked as a puritanical prude. But now, commentators, journalists and campaigners are asking: ‘Was Mary Whitehouse right all along?’ She has returned to the news.

For those who don’t know, Mary Whitehouse came to prominence in the late 1960s and 1970s. It was a time of huge social change. Laws were being repealed as Britain sought to break free from its cultural past and enter a new, more progressive era. Nowhere was this more evident than in the area of sex and relationships. The ‘Swinging Sixties’ saw a sexual revolution which promised liberation and freedom. It was summed up by Roy Jenkins, the then Home Secretary, who said: ‘The permissive society is the civilised society’.

politics & policy

James Mildred

In the New Year, a major UK human rights body issued a stark warning to the Scottish Government, urging it to pause its plans to ‘reform’ the gender recognition process.

Scottish Ministers had been saying for a while that they were resolute in their intention to introduce the changes. But the Equality and Human Rights Commission said more consideration was needed. Concerns were raised about the societal impact of a rushed law.

politics & policy

James Mildred

One of the greatest gifts God has given to humanity is the gift of a conscience. Previous generations of preachers and teachers tended to focus far more on this than we do. They called the conscience ‘God’s deputy’ and ‘God’s spy in our hearts’.

It is a gift of God’s common grace. This means it is something all humans have. Our conscience is the inner voice we hear when we step outside the boundaries of what is right. Our conscience rarely praises us. It is more likely to accuse us.

James Mildred

So here we go. 2022. Covid-19 is still with us. There’ll be new variants and vaccines no doubt throughout the year.

We’re technically only a few years away from another General Election. All the while, the business of government continues. As I look ahead there are, from a Christian perspective, real challenges on the horizon and some opportunities as well.

politics & policy

James Mildred

I do not think the world will end because of climate change. I do think Christians have a responsibility to care for God’s creation, as good stewards. I’m both a sceptic about some of what’s predicted, and yet also acknowledge that the climate has, is and does change.

Speaking at the start of COP26, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said we were at ‘one minute to midnight’ and it was time for action. The Archbishop of Canterbury clearly felt he needed to raise the stakes when he drew a comparison between inaction over climate change and what happened in Germany when the Nazis took over. Of course, he quickly apologised for that one.

politics & policy

James Mildred

Yet another Assisted Dying Bill is currently in the House of Lords.

While it is unlikely, although not impossible, that it will become the law of the land, one thing is certain: more attempts will come. In fact, in the last decade, there have been at least ten Bills introduced at Westminster alone, not to mention at least three attempts in Scotland.

politics & policy

James Mildred

In the future, men are set to outnumber women by a considerable margin. That’s according to some new research which suggests there are millions of missing girls thanks to sex-selective abortion.

In certain countries, there’s a clear cultural preference for boys rather than girls and by 2100, if current rates continue, 22million girls could be lost to the practice.

politics & policy

James Mildred

Last month, a truly awful abortion amendment was withdrawn from the UK Government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. Its intention was to legalise abortion to birth for any reason in England and Wales.

Had it succeeded, the door would have been opened to sex-selective abortion and ever-increasing numbers of abortions. In a context where 200,000 abortions took place in England and Wales last year alone and where 9.5 million have taken place since 1967, the situation could hardly be made worse. I’d love to tell you that the amendment was withdrawn because of a growing concern in Parliament about the abortion lobby. The truth, I suspect, is more complex. Tacking an amendment that would have resulted in major social change onto another Bill is a sure-fire way of irking colleagues in the Commons. The MP who tabled the amendment, Diana Johnson, herself claimed it was only a ‘probing amendment’ and she never planned to push it to a vote. At the same time, it was encouraging to see and hear stories of how Christians did their bit – writing to our MPs and engaging with the issue clearly had an impact. Anecdotally I’ve been told that MPs received more than 71,000 emails and letters. For anyone who has been used to being rebuffed by their MP in recent times, it is surely an encouraging reminder to keep going. Sometimes our efforts at lobbying do help to make a difference.

politics & policy

James Mildred

A few years ago, a former journalist speculated that the debate over transgender had the potential to break Stonewall. Based on a flurry of recent news stories, it now seems their words were strangely prophetic.

A once well-disciplined campaign group is under fire over its approach to trans rights and its treatment of those who dare to disagree.

politics & policy

James Mildred

The starting pistol has been fired in the race to legalise assisted suicide.

After appearing before the End of Choice All Party Parliamentary Group, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock then wrote to the national statistician, Ian Diamond, requesting information on the number of terminally-ill patients who had killed themselves because of their diagnosis. Mr Hancock wants a new debate on the issue and there are plenty other MPs who want the same.

politics & policy

James Mildred

Not that long ago, the UK Government committed an unfathomable U-turn by deciding not to implement bold new legislation to prevent children accessing online pornography.

Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act would have required users to provide some form of identification to prove that they are over the age of 18 before accessing explicit content. It would also have ensured an operational regulator with powers to crack down on websites hosting illegal extreme pornography.

politics & policy

James Mildred

As I look ahead, if I was to pick two significant future challenges, they would be start-of-life law change and end-of-life law change. It is not implausible that there could, within months, be major votes at Westminster on legalising both assisted suicide and also the ‘decriminalisation of abortion’.

In March, the Home Secretary introduced a Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the House of Commons. It is a Government Bill and so will be given plenty of time for debate and will be considered a priority. It’s also what is called a ‘Christmas Tree Bill’.

James Mildred

The vital and crucial need of our time is for gospel revival, for churches to experience more of the power of God at work in their midst, both in maturing the faith of believers, but also in saving sinners.

In his first letter, the Apostle Peter says that judgement begins in the house of God (1 Peter 4:17) and I’m convinced that in these strange, uncertain times, God is manifestly at work. He is refining us, shaping us, cleansing us and reminding us of our deep dependence on Him.

politics & policy

James Mildred

At the beginning of the year, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York apologised because of a Church of England document which said marriage is between one man and one woman.

There followed a strong backlash from the evangelical community. Given that the statement simply articulated the historic, orthodox, theological and Biblical position of the church on the question of God-honouring sex for the last 2,000 years, it did strike me as odd, if not downright absurd, that the Archbishops felt the need to say sorry.