In church recently I met someone who runs a food bank. He talked to me about how his service helped people from many different backgrounds who have become stuck in a poverty trap. Some need short term support to get them through a difficult period, while others are permanently stuck. I was struck by the commitment of this gentleman to help others and of his conviction that our society should not be organised this way.

It is a familiar story to any churchgoer. Churches across the country contain many similarly motivated people. They are driven by their Christian conviction that all are created equally and that everyone therefore has equal worth. Working in food banks, helping the homeless, giving shelter to refugees, fighting famine and poverty abroad, and in many other ways, church members are working for the most disadvantaged in society. Moreover, with at least one church in every town and village, this work is happening and being supported across the country.

Politics and the world today can seem confusing. We can feel trapped by the ‘paralysis of analysis’ – not knowing what to pray for – so we simply stop praying. There are so many things on our radars that spark complex emotions, and a feeling of ‘Can I even pray for that, ask that question or feel that anger?’ can sometimes cloud our ability to know where to begin.

In the first of a two-part series, Christians on the Left member Andrew Chandler discusses the origins of Christian Socialism in Britain.

by Bob Ekblad

This Epiphany as we celebrate God’s self-revelation as King Jesus, I am struck by the extreme danger of choosing to trust in self, other gods and human rulers.

Today in America, Western Europe and beyond people are expressing their desire for stronger, more authoritarian leadership in a climate of increasing fear and insecurity. Many are calling for leaders who will put up walls, enforce laws with greater vigor and take stands for citizens against the rising tides of refugees, immigrants and terrorists. Jobs, borders, and benefits for us—not them.

This week Pastor Bill Johnson, leader of the influential Bethel Church in California, published this post, in which he explained his justifications for voting for Donald Trump. Martin Holst, a member of the Christians on the Left executive, gives his thoughts in response.

Many people are surprised – and more than a little concerned - at the choice of Donald Trump for President by the American electorate. To them he seems a mystifying choice, totally unsuited in both temperament and character, for the immense responsibilities of this office. It may sound like hyperbole, but the prayer on the lips of many was ‘Lord, have mercy’ followed by a heart cry: why, oh why, when there is so much uncertainty, friction and trouble around the world, has the Lord allowed such a man to be elected President?

David Haslam, a Methodist minister, social justice campaigner and Christians on the Left member, has recently published his book, A Luta Continua (The Struggle Continues), recounting his varied experiences and providing an insight into what it means to work and fight for God's kingdom.

On Tuesday 6 September, Christians on the Left co-hosted an event 'Faith and the Future of the Labour Party', bringing together representatives from faith communities supporting Labour as well as leadership candidates Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith. The following text is a transcript of the speech made by Njoki Mahiaini, a committed member of our executive and our speaker on stage. See her introducing the live stream of the event here.

There is no doubt that passion has returned to politics. There has been a lot to get passionate about. The referendum on European Union membership and the Labour leadership election are only the latest examples. In the past couple of years, the United Kingdom has seen Scotland hold an intensely debated referendum on its future and elected a Conservative government at a general election.