Opinions and Reflections 

The following list of articles, blogs or podcasts have been published over the last few years.
 

Baptist Perspectives

Revd Dr Helen Paynter
God’s kingdom, but whose tools? - Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, 19/09/25  
This article offers a reflection on the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally on 13th September. It probes the tension between Christian ends and political means, asking whether the pursuit of God’s kingdom can ever justify coercive or exclusionary tools. It challenges churches to consider how power, rhetoric, and strategy shape their witness in a contested public sphere.

Faith, the Far Right and the Politics of Fear - Nomad Podcast, 24/11/25  
In this extended Nomad Podcast episode, theologian and Baptist minister Helen Paynter explores how far-right movements are increasingly borrowing Christian language, symbols and scriptural motifs to justify exclusion and division, and what it means when the gospel of love is co-opted by the politics of fear. Drawing on her theological reflection, she discusses why parts of the church can be vulnerable to such narratives, how faith can be weaponised, and what faithful resistance rooted in wisdom, compassion and courage might look like, making this a rich resource for individuals and congregations seeking deeper discernment of contemporary political-religious entanglementss

Prof John Heathershaw
How Do We Respond to Christian Nationalism? - The Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, 3/10/25
This article explores Christian nationalism as a theological and pastoral challenge, examining how faith becomes distorted when fused with national identity and power. It offers churches a framework for faithful response rooted in scripture, discipleship, and peace-making, encouraging thoughtful engagement rather than reactive polarisation.

Transcending Christian Nationalism - The Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, 24/10/25
Building on earlier reflections, this piece calls Christians to move beyond reactive critiques toward a more constructive, Christ-centred imagination. It challenges churches to resist fear-based narratives and to embody a kingdom vision shaped by justice, humility, and hospitality.  

Dr Paul Weller
Between  Opposition  and  Dialogue:  Anti-Racist  and Anti-Fascist Practice Informed by Baptist Tradition - Journal of European Baptist Studies, February 2025
This article responds to the recommendation in Helen Paynter and Maria Power’s The Church,  The  Far  Right  and  the  Claim  to  Christianity(2024). In  the  face  of  a far-right appropriation of Christian symbols and concepts, this invites those in ‘dissenting’ Christian traditions to identify ‘creative’ ways to ‘embody and articulate’ dissenting values in ‘fresh ways’.


Revd Wale Hudson-Roberts
A Christian response to Christian Nationalism  - Keeping The Faith, 2/12/25
In this reflective piece, Revd Wale Hudson-Roberts examines the rise of Christian nationalism and far-right mobilisation in the UK, including recent large-scale demonstrations, and explores how fear-based political narratives have been woven into national discourse. Drawing on the parable of the Good Samaritan, he urges Christians and churches to resist the weaponisation of faith for exclusionary politics, emphasising that the gospel calls believers to expansive, sacrificial love and solidarity with immigrants and marginalised communities.

 

Articles from Baptist Times 

 

 

Others

The Evangelical Alliance
Christian nationalism in the UK: a contest for the nation's soul? - The Evangelical Alliance, Peter Lynas, 23/09/25  
This article offers an evangelical perspective on the emergence of Christian nationalism in the UK, distinguishing historic Christian influence from modern nationalist distortions. It invites Christians to reflect on where ultimate allegiance lies and how faith can be expressed publicly without being co-opted by extremist political agendas.  

A deep dive into Christian nationalism in the UK - The Evangelical Alliance, Peter Lynas (UK director) and Alicia Edmund (head of public policy), 19/11/25
This filmed conversation brings together voices to unpack what Christian nationalism looks like in practice and why it matters for churches today. Accessible and reflective, it provides a helpful resource for church leadership teams, study groups, or individuals wanting to explore the issue in greater depth.

The Book of Revel-hate-ions: How Christianity is being co-opted by the far right - HOPE Not Hate, Right Response Team, 25/09/25  
This report explores how far-right movements selectively draw on Christian language, symbols, and apocalyptic themes to legitimise exclusionary and nationalist politics. Produced by HOPE not hate - a well-established UK organisation that researches and challenges extremism from beyond church structures - the analysis offers a valuable external perspective on how Christianity is being perceived, used, and sometimes distorted in the public square, helping churches to see patterns and risks that can be less visible from within Christian communities themselves.  

'Christian' Extremism Needs Policy Solutions, Not A Theological Debate - Equi, Prof. Francis Davis 11/12/2025  
This piece argues that while theology matters, the real-world harms of Christian extremism require robust policy and safeguarding responses. It offers churches insight into how public institutions view religious extremism, helping faith communities engage constructively with wider debates about democracy, pluralism, and social cohesion.  

 Challenging the Rise of the Far Right - The Methodist Church, 16/09/25
In this article, Revd Jonathan Hustler, Secretary of the Methodist Conference, unpacks how some forms of Christian Nationalism are motivated by a set of values which are diametrically opposite to the Methodist Church's values as an inclusive and justice-seeking church.

 The idolatry of Christian Nationalism - John Wyatt Podcast