Tim Farron’s book A Mucky Business argues powerfully for Christians of all persuasions getting involved in politics. It is one valuable way of living out Christ’s love for the world. As election time approaches, we might ask does Christianity have anything distinctive to add into the political mix?

One important idea, developed by Christian thinkers, has an unfamiliar name: subsidiarity. It sounds complicated, but it’s not. It is rooted in our belief that human beings are created in the image of the One God: Father, Son and Spirit. They are made to be free, creative and responsible. At the same time, they are fulfilled only in loving relationships.

For this reason, we need small social groups, where we can grow in friendship through engaging together in worthwhile activities. We need our families, churches, clubs and societies, small businesses, local communities, voluntary organisations. These are not optional extras; they allow us to live our lives to the full.

The job of government is to enable such groups to flourish, so that the people in them can flourish. Sometimes, that means leaving them alone to get on with the job. At other times, they may need a helping hand – for example, through regulation, grants, information. The question is not whether we have a ‘big’ state or a ‘small’ state, but whether we have an enabling state. For we are called not to be isolated, competitive, individuals nor passive cogs in an impersonal machine. We are children of the God who is Love.

Written by Sr Margaret Atkins, Boarbank Hall, Allithwaite

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