Elizabeth Berridge on Christians joining political parties

Elizabeth Berridge

For regular users of this website, you will have seen over recent months various articles about politics from either myself at the Conservative Christian Fellowship, Andy Flannagan at the Christian Socialist Movement or Zoe Dixon from the Lib Dem Christian Forum. Christians all agree with John 17: 20-21 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." The challenge is to put it into practice. Increasingly the CCF, CSM and LDCF are working together as 'Christians In Politics,' as we believe the church needs to see that our Christian faith is more important to us than our politics. It was a pleasure recently to hold a politics breakfast in Birmingham for local church leaders and we were very encouraged when nearly 50 leaders came along.

Not only is 'Christians In Politics' seeking to humbly work out John 17 but we earnestly desire to serve and encourage church leaders and Christians to cross what we consider to be the final frontier. Over the last 20-30 years, the Christian community has seen the need to support excellent para-church organisations such as CARE and EA who seek to contribute to legislation before Parliament. More recently local Churches Together groups have hosted excellent hustings at election times and Christians have increasingly written to their MPs or visited them to share their views. The final frontier is one that Christians and church leaders are only just beginning to grapple with.

Joining a political party or the Christian membership organisation within the parties...

To some who read this statement it seems like heresy, a matter of compromise or impossible as you feel you cannot agree with all that any party stands for. However, the biblical command in Matthew 5 to be salt and light was not limited to those places whose values you totally agree with or who are perfect. The Old Testament is full of examples of believers who rose to positions of political influence in far from perfect environments. Daniel was at the heart of the leadership in Babylon and Esther was in Susa. For too long, Christians have made representations, mostly complaints, to decision makers but have not been prepared to become those decision makers. Most MPs that I speak to would welcome with open arms servant hearted, active volunteers who want to serve the local community in their local political associations. Sounds to me rather like a job description for Christians.

To look at it another way, if you voted, your vote lasts a parliament. Why not at least join the Christian group within the party that you voted for? You might find out that the Christians involved have not sold their souls.