Why Christians can’t keep out of politics

This spring, Church Action on Poverty will support a course looking at combining theology and politics. James Butler of the Church Mission Society sets out why engaging with politics is a key aspect of the Christian faith.

When Christians speak out about the big issues and challenges of the day, they are often met with the comment: “Churches should keep out of politics.”

Faith in Public: Political Theology for Mission, a three day, residential event, argues the opposite: churches and Christian organisations must engage in the big issues of our day in public ways. It’s part of our faithful witness and we have something important to offer these conversations.

Wondering what this looks like in practice? If you are a Christian working in a public role, involved in a church or organisation seeking to engage with society, or interested in exploring what it means to witness to Christ in public, then this course is for you.

Introducing the Faith In Public course

The event will take place in May in Manchester, which has a long history of being at the cutting edge of politics and social justice in the UK. It will provide the opportunity to spend time with churches, organisations and people living faith in public.

Grace Thomas, Canon Missioner at Manchester Cathedral and Environment Officer for Manchester Diocese, will explore how the Cathedral has been a place of public witness over the centuries.
Ian Rutherford, City Centre Minister at Methodist Central Hall Manchester, will help delegates explore how faith is lived in public today.
Dominic Budhi-Thornton, a public theologian, and James Butler, Church Mission Society Pioneer Mission Training leader, will delve deeper into the biblical and theological roots of such engagement.
Jane Perry, from Church Action on Poverty, will discuss the importance of hearing from people with lived experience of poverty, and outline practical ways to ensure they are fully included in church-led political engagement.

Delegates will also meet a number of people working in public roles, including politicians, civil servants and leaders of organisations, to discuss how they navigate their work through their faith.

What previous Faith In Public participants said

Church Mission Society Pioneer Mission Training ran a similar course in London last year. Reflecting on the experience Jo, a vicar and leader of a mission-focused charity, said:

“This course offered a rare moment when politics was not only allowed at the dinner table but welcomed, which I hugely enjoyed. One of the great joys was seeing people who clearly love Jesus already living this out in their communities and having the opportunity to learn from their experience. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to think deeply about local politics and discover new ways to put mission into practice.”

Philip, who works for a charity around justice, commented:

“Is it possible to be political and missional at the same time? Well, this is exactly what this programme was all about. It enabled me to deepen my understanding on how I can serve in God’s mission by becoming politically aware and engaged. This programme was also hands-on and practical. And I came away with a sense that I am connected to a wider community of practitioners of justice.”

Philip

Background to the Faith In Public course

When teaching on mission I realised that there were a whole range of issues people were facing and questions that people had which had long been reflected on by Christians under the names of political theology and public theology.

In this course we bring together mission studies and the insights from political and public theology to explore how to live faith in public.

By understanding how historically people have understood the relationship between church and state, and how churches and Christians have navigated public life, we will help people to draw out new ways of thinking, new resources and fresh practices to live faith in public.

Sign up

Take part Faith in Public: Political Theology for Mission takes place from Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 May 2026. Accommodation and some teaching will take place at Luther King House, with additional travel into Manchester City Centre to visit relevant projects and venues.

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This blog was originally published here, on the Church Mission Society website.

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