8 August 2024

‘Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.’ says St. Paul. ‘For there is no authority except from God and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.’  He goes on to develop his theology of government. ‘Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur judgement.’ (Romans 13;1,2)

I am not sure what Keir Starmer will make of Paul’s theology for the Prime Minister is a self-professed atheist. ‘I am not of faith, I don’t believe in God – but I can see the power of faith and the way it brings people together.’  For him, faith has a positive outcome for others.

He can hardly subscribe to Paul’s theology which doesn’t depend on Starmer’s belief to validate it.  Most famously, it was a foreign leader, Cyrus,  King of Persia, who facilitated the will of God in leading the Jewish captives in Babylon back to their homeland.  According to Isaiah, God anointed him for the task.

But there is much reassurance in knowing that God’s will may prevail despite the discouraging signs. It is just as reassuring to know that there are members of the Starmer government who are not atheists. Far from it, they profess and practice their faith.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, is a self-confessed Christian and friend of Lord Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury.  Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Wes  Streeting, Health Secretary, are both practising Anglicans.

Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, is a practising Roman Catholic who is pro-abortion and, of course, Douglas Alexander, recently appointed Minister of State at the Department of Business and Trade, is Presbyterian. ‘I feel grateful to be the son of a  manse and the faith and outlook of my father and mother continue to be an influence on me to this day.’

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