The more militant secularists are generally okay with Christians being Christians – as long as we do so behind closed doors and in the secrecy of our own hearts.
In other words they want us to be a private society or club, like a line-dancing society or a golf club. But our Christianity is not just a hobby, and the church is not a club. That is also true when it comes to politics. This month we have a general election – and some want to ask what is the Christian position.
‘Pastor, how should I vote?’
As a minister I have occasionally been asked by someone in the congregation how I think they should vote. I tell them that that is not my job – and nor should they be asking me. I can give general biblical guidelines but it would be the wrong use of my position as a pastor for me to tell my congregation how to vote, or to endorse any particular political party or candidate. Bringing party politics into the church is just simply wrong.
The death of a magazine: a sad sign of the decline of the Church of Scotland?
It is always sad when people lose their jobs. It is even sadder when it is journalists, editors and staff …