I am a Catholic Christian and I wholeheartedly agree with your editorial about the misappropriation of Christianity by far-right groups (The Guardian view on Christianity and the UK far right: churches must stand up to the false prophets of division, 17 March). I find the distortion of my faith, which centres on justice, peace, reconciliation and compassion, as misused by extreme rightwing groups to foster racism, division, hate and fear, to be absolutely nauseating.
I wonder how these people would receive the real Jesus as a person, whose whole life and work crossed boundaries, reached out to and healed broken people, taught people to love even their enemies, challenged power and ended up dying an ignominious death as an executed criminal.
The Christian message has often been corrupted by power-hungry manipulators through the centuries, but ordinary Christian people like me remain steadfast in working for peace, trying to love even our enemies, and crossing boundaries to seek fellowship with all people of good will, of every faith and none.
I hope and expect that leaders of every Christian denomination and community will challenge the divisiveness of using the symbol of the cross as a weapon to foster hate and fear. Maybe it’s time the college of bishops made a bit more noise.
Anne Dobbing
St John’s Town of Dalry, Dumfries and Galloway
I share the abhorrence of the use of Christian symbols by far‑right activists who gathered in London recently. It is frankly nauseating to see the signs of God’s love being weaponised in this manner. Those who will not welcome the stranger, who demonise the vulnerable, and who stoke fear and call for violence, demonstrate little understanding of the Christ whose prayer they claim to recite. Many Christian leaders have said that publicly. Many preachers will have pointed out that Christian nationalism is an oxymoron.
A key to unlocking a better future and countering hatred is to be found in practical acts of love. It is found in the churches where those seeking asylum are welcomed, offered support, and treated as human beings. It is found in the churches, which, through listening to those in their congregations or communities who feel threatened because of the colour of their skin, have committed to learning how to be anti-racist and to standing in solidarity with other faith communities. It is found in churches which recognise the deprivation and despair felt in their localities and throw open their premises as warm spaces, food banks or community larders, and then work alongside community members to advocate for policy change.
Yes, church leaders need to speak out, but the priority for many churches in this moment is to support the weak. In that way, the true meaning of the cross of Christ is revealed.
Rev Dr Jonathan Hustler
Secretary, Methodist Conference
I hope that liberal Christians will indeed want to contest the political beliefs of Christian nationalists such as those who rallied in London, as your editorial encourages them to do. But it is less clear that insisting as they do so that they hold the “true” Christian principles is very helpful for the rest of us in the non-Christian majority.
Much more helpful is for all people of good will in our country, whatever their religious or non-religious beliefs, to unite around shared values of freedom, justice, and human rights. When we come together around shared values we do not need to argue theological truths, and a great source of needless division is removed.
Andrew Copson
Chief executive, Humanists UK
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