David Cameron puts God back into politics

Britain should be unashamedly “evangelical” about its Christian faith and actively hand churches and other faith groups a greater role in society, David Cameron has insisted.

In a declaration of his personal beliefs, he said he had experienced the “healing power” of religion in his own life and insisted that Christianity could transform the “spiritual, physical, and moral” state of Britain and even the world.

Writing in the Church Times, the Anglican newspaper, he heaped praise on the Church of England and described the UK as a “Christian country” despite saying we live in an increasingly “secular age”.

He also attacked those who demand a strict “neutrality” in public life on religious matters arguing that it would deprive Britain of a vital source of morality.

His comments amount to an olive branch to the churches in the wake of rows over issues such as welfare cuts and gay marriage. His Government has also been accused of failing to stand up for Christians.

Mr Cameron’s overt expression of allegiance to Christianity is also likely to help shore up Tory support lost to the UK Independence Party.

He could also stand accused of alienating members of other faiths such as Muslims or Jews, but he said that he had no intention to “do down” other religions.

Commentators have noted an increasing willingness on Mr Cameron’s part to speak about Christianity as a personal faith.

Last week, at a reception, he spoke of finding the “moments of greatest peace” in his life when he attends a sung Eucharist service at an Anglican church in west London.

It suggests that the Prime Minister, who once described his own faith as being “like Magic FM in the Chilterns” – meaning that it periodically fades and reappears – has found greater strength in religion since entering office.

Bishops said his choice of words was “striking” and signalled a new willingness to espouse faith but added that many Christians would still continue to challenge some of Mr Cameron’s policies.

But Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said the call to give religion a greater role in public life could threaten “social cohesion”.

Mr Cameron insisted “Some people feel that in this ever more secular age we shouldn’t talk about these things – I completely disagree.

“I believe we should be more confident about our status as a Christian country, more ambitious about expanding the role of faith-based organisations, and, frankly, more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people’s lives.”

Repeatedly using the words “we” and “our”, he said: “As Christians we know how powerful faith can be in the toughest of times.

“I have known this in my own life.”

Listing a series of policies he said reflected Christian values, such as combating modern slavery, he said: “Greater confidence in our Christianity can also inspire a stronger belief that we can get out there and actually change people’s lives, and improve both the spiritual, physical, and moral state of our country, and even the world.”

Admitting he was probably a “rather classic” Anglican who was “vague” on some of the church’s more “difficult” doctrines, he said: “But that doesn’t mean the Church of England doesn’t matter to me or people like me: it really does.

“I like its openness, I deeply respect its national role, and I appreciate its liturgy, and the architecture and cultural heritage of its churches.

“I have felt at first hand the healing power of the Church’s pastoral care.”

The Coalition was accused of allowing faith to be sidelined when Government lawyers argued, during a high profile court case, that Christians did not have a “right” to wear crosses or espouse traditional views on issues such as homosexuality at work

The introduction of same-sex marriage infuriated traditional evangelical Christians while the Coalition’s welfare cuts have attracted widespread criticism from clerics including a letter signed this week by hundreds of clergy and scores of bishops.

Ministers have repeatedly clashed with church leaders over the growth of food banks, disputing arguments that it signifies that welfare cuts have created a “hunger crisis”.

In his article, Mr Cameron addressed criticism head on, saying: “I sometimes feel not enough is made of our efforts to tackle poverty.”

He added: “I hope that, even when people disagree with specific policies, they can share in the belief of trying to lift people up rather than count people out.”

Significantly, he used the word evangelical, a term often associated with the more traditional wing of the Church which vigorously opposed gay marriage.

The Rt Rev Nick Baines, the Bishop of Bradford said: “The language of what he says is striking.

“I totally applaud what he says about Christians being more confident about their faith.”

But the bishop, who was among those to voice concern over hunger in Britain, said many Christians would question what Mr Cameron meant.

“Over what they call equal marriage, the process of doing that was flawed in so many ways that I think sometimes we in the Church felt we just weren’t being listened to,” he said.

The Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, Rt Rev Kieran Conry, head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales’s evangelisation department, said the comments would strike a chord with many.

“I think people will be glad to see the gospel getting back into politics – or explicitly back into politics, it is there in a lot of what the Government tries to do, in looking after people."

Prof Linda Woodhead of Lancaster University, one of Britain’s leading authorities on religion in modern Britain, said: “There has been a shift recently, it is much more common and acceptable to express your faith.”

But Mr Sanderson said: “Mr Cameron needs to understand the value of religious neutrality in Government.

“If Britain becomes a nation where Christians have special privileges, then social cohesion and fairness will be at risk.

“Nor should we forget that, according to the Church of England’s own figures, only 800,000 people attended church on a Sunday in 2012 – half the number that attended in 1968. The Church of England does not have the wherewithal to do what Mr Cameron wants it to do.”