Stuck in the Middle with you
I’ve been reading Deuteronomy lately. It’s the fourth book of the bible and second iteration of Moses’ law code dating back to at least 1200BC. In places it’s unashamedly pro-immigrant. God loves the foreigner; you should love the foreigner because you were foreigners in Egypt. In other places it appears extremely intolerant, commanding that all traces of foreign religion are obliterated. You don’t hear Western politicians quoting from Deuteronomy all that often.
Jesus fairs a bit better in modern politics. Tom Holland, Larry Sidentop and others have pointed out that the teachings and example of Jesus and the early church are foundational for our understandings of human rights, freedom, justice and compassion. So it’s hardly surprising that Sir Kier says that “the labour party owes a huge debt to the Christian tradition” or Boris biblically quips that “the fool says in his heart there is no God”.
However, as a Christian, I often feel stuck in the middle in modern party politics. I feel deeply uncomfortable with “Stop the boats” ideology and the demonising of immigrants. Jesus tells me to love my neighbour… and my enemy. I feel alienated by the aggressive liberalism that tells me that personal faith is to be kept personal. Jesus tells his followers to make disciples and encourages them towards good deeds. I’m saddened by the universally accepted lie that all sexual practice between consenting adults is good for the said adults and for society. Jesus aligned himself with the Old Testament’s celebratory view of marital sexuality. I am dismayed by the almost unquestioned pursuit of profit and economic growth above all else. Jesus said that wealth is deceitful. These are my views as a Christian, but I also believe that Jesus’ ideas can be the building blocks of a society where humans thrive. I don’t feel that they dovetail very well into any one UK party manifesto.
The hijacking of the word ‘christian’ by the far right in the UK and the word ‘evangelical’ by US politicians break my heart as an Evangelical Christian. I don’t own Jesus. I hope he owns me and I feel like I’m stuck in the middle with him on so many issues.
I absolutely love and wholeheartedly recommend Tim Farron’s ‘A Mucky Business’ podcast. He interviews politicians from all mainstream political parties about their journeys of faith and the issues which they are passionate about. What becomes apparent as I listen is that there is a strong current of Christian faith in the corridors of UK power which bridges party divides and facilitates forward policy movement in the middle on issues Jesus is passionate about. Sadly, I am not convinced this is the case in US politics.
I always vote – I think that should be the incarnational impulse of every Christian in a democratic society. I’m the grandson of a Sheffield steelworker and the son of NHS doctors, we cheered for the miners and jeered at the nuclear trucks. But I simply don’t feel like I belong in any one political tradition any more. I’m stuck in the middle with Jesus.