Weekly Action - 1 May 2023 - Local Elections

 

Local elections

This week local elections are happening in many parts of England on Thursday 4 May.  As Christians, it’s really important that we take our democratic responsibility seriously and turn up and vote.  God wants to see every government and local authority ruling with fairness, equality, justice and care for all in society.  As Jeremiah the prophet says, “Hear the word of the LORD to you, king of Judah, you who sits on David’s throne – you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.  This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right.  Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed.  Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.” (Jer 2: 2 – 3)  In a democracy, we all have a crucial role to play in appointing the authorities, when we vote.  It’s a privilege that millions of people around the world do not have and are desperately seeking. 

 

Who should Christians vote for?

Christians should pray about who to vote for, look into the manifestos of all the major parties, and vote for the one we feel most closely reflects Biblical teaching on establishing social justice, ensuring prosperity, eliminating poverty, caring for all in society and restoring the environment.  Of course, no single political party will reflect all of God’s standards.  Each will be good on some, not so good on others.  There is no such thing as a perfect political party.  We can’t be purist, but should vote for the one we feel matches God’s standards most closely.  We should also avoid obsessing over any one single issue, rather it is a question of which political party’s overall balance of policies we feel most aligns with God’s standards for social justice, ensuring prosperity, caring for all in society and protecting the environment.

 

How parties score against the Arise Manifesto

To help you as you pray and consider, the following table reflects our assessment of where we think the policies of the main political parties in England are a good fit with God’s standards for establishing social justice, eliminating poverty, and restoring the environment, as set out in the Arise Manifesto, our big picture, researched, Biblical, holistic and practical Christian vision for a better world (Arise Manifesto, pg 314 – 330).

 

	Conservatives	Labour	Liberal Democrats	Green
Standards for democracy and human rights at home		Good	Good	Good
Improving democracy and human rights abroad	Good	Good	Good	Good
Preventing major conflicts emerging	Good	Good	Good	Good
Reducing and ending small conflicts		Good	Good	Good
Armed intervention in small conflicts	Good
Building a strong and fair economy	Good	Good	Good	Good
Tax and spending on health, education, care etc.		Good	Good	Good
International development		Good	Good	Good
Tackling climate change		Good	Good	Good
Shifting to a circular economy		Good	Good	Good

But don’t take our word for it.  Look at Parts 4 – 6 of the Arise Manifesto, look at the Bible, and the literature from the parties, pray about it and decide for yourself.  Will you take action this week and turn out to vote?

 

Take Action

Speak out in advocacy

Turn up to vote in local elections this week.  Research, pray and vote for the party you feel best reflects Biblical teaching and God’s standards for establishing social justice, eliminating poverty, and restoring the environment.  Remember to take ID with you when you vote.

Pray

Pray for political leaders and all those involved in politics.  It’s a tough job.  Pray that God will give every one of them vision for their role, and that they will lead with justice, compassion, courage and effectiveness.

Practical Action

Get involved in the decision-making by joining a political party, and in due course running for office at local or even national level.  Use your position within that party to advocate for policies that establish social justice, eliminate poverty, restore the environment and build God’s Kingdom.

Give

Give to the political party that you think best reflects Biblical teaching and God’s standards.

 

Encourage us and others by letting us know what actions you have taken – message us at info@ariseuk.org, or via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

 

Find out more

It’s great to take this action as individual Christians, but even better to come together with others to pray, discuss, worship, learn, have fun and take action together.  Contact Arise if you are interested in joining or starting a local Arise group in your church or area.  If you are already in an Arise group, take this action to your wider church, and get them all to do it too.

Find out more in the Arise Manifesto, Arise’s big picture, researched, Biblical, holistic and practical vision for a better world.  It looks at what the Bible says, and what we can learn from the best data and the world’s leading experts on the five major areas of evangelism, discipleship, social justice, development and the environment.  It then draws these lessons together into a practical road map for the changes we need to see in our world, which the Arise movement campaigns to achieve.

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