No room for complacency

Lyndon Bowring highlights challenges facing Christian voices defending religious freedom in modern politics

Lyndon Bowring

Just before the General Election the Liberal Democrats deselected former BBC journalist David Campanale as their candidate for Sutton and Cheam.

Twelve years earlier he’d belonged to the Christian People’s Alliance whose biblical views about abortion and same-sex marriage are deeply unacceptable to today’s Lib Dems. I’ve personally known David for over 30 years. He’s an outstanding Christian and public servant.

The Liberal Democrat Christian Forum, representing over 400 members has asked the Equality and Rights Commission for an investigation. Lord Alton, himself a former Lib Dem MP and a Christian said, “The treatment of David Campanale was neither liberal nor democratic. It smacks of the same prejudiced intolerance that increasingly disrespects conscience and has infected too much of politics and our national life.”

The Lib Dems are not alone here. In March 2023 Kate Forbes narrowly missed becoming Scotland’s First Minister because some media, LGBT activists and political adversaries denounced her orthodox Free Church of Scotland belief that sex outside of marriage is wrong, even abhorrent.

Kate commented, “Have we become so illiberal that we cannot have these discussions or are some people beyond the pale? Because if so, then these are dark and dangerous days for Scotland.” Humza Yousaf, who won the leadership, describes himself as a proud Muslim and in March this year the Islamic call to prayer was performed in Bute House, his official residence.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his family celebrate each Diwali by lighting oil lamps outside 10 Downing Street. In the name of tolerance these religious actions have been accepted but I wonder what the response might be if a Christian PM or First Minister displayed an illuminated cross outside their official residences or publicised the holding of a worship service!

Following David Campanale’s deselection, Jeremy Lefroy, the MP for Stafford 2010-2019, wrote publicly: “The appointment of Kate Forbes as Deputy First Minister is a welcome sign of a more broad-minded approach. I pray it will last and that the Lib Dems follow suit. In the meantime, we can thank God that we can still worship and proclaim the gospel freely in this country.

"We don’t face the persecution and even murder which so many Christians and others suffer for their faith across the world, and which Fiona Bruce MP speaks against as the Prime Minister’s special envoy on religious freedom. However, there is no room for complacency. Such freedom has been hard won over the centuries in our country and is easily lost.”

Lyndon Bowring, Executive Chairman of CARE, comments on the causes close to the heart of the Christian community. CARE has produced an inspiring booklet to celebrate 30 years of its Leadership Programme. For a free copy, call 020 7233 0455.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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