'A church toolkit for resisting the Far Right' 

A new book that aims to offer strategies to church leaders to respond to the rise of Christian nationalism has been published 

Faithful Presence in a Fractured World: A Church Toolkit for Resisting the Far Right (Canterbury Press, Norwich) is compiled and edited by Baptist theologian Helen Paynter.

With a focus on ‘equipping rather than overwhelming’, the book features chapters by experienced practitioners and is framed within a UK context.

Helen is Director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, and Tutor in Old Testament at Bristol Baptist College. She also co-authored The Church, the Far Right, and the Claim to Christianity (2024). 

‘For the last four years I have been leading a project looking at the use of Christian Scripture and theological symbols by far-right movements, especially in the UK,’ she said. 

‘Over the course of this time, the national landscape has shifted enormously and in concerning ways. 

‘Many church leaders in the UK are becoming very concerned about the rise of Christian nationalism and other far-right ideologies within society in general, and in the church. 

‘But what can they do, in the context of a busy ministry, that will make a difference?

‘To create this book, I’ve drawn on the experience of many people doing brilliant work around the country, and have invited them to share some key ideas in ways that inspire rather than overwhelm. Their principal instruction was to make it do-able! 

‘And then I’ve woven this through with a little light-touch theology to help shape our thinking.’

The steps offered in the book range from youth engagement and interfaith dialogue to housing justice and digital literacy.

The book ‘resists the temptations both of anxious hand-wringing and of mirroring the aggression of those it critiques,’ said Dr Krish Kandiah, OBE, founder and CEO of Sanctuary Foundation.  

‘Instead it points us back to the mustard seed - small, quiet, kingdom acts that change the world precisely because they do not try to seize it.'

He added, 'How do we respond when Scripture is used as a tool for power, fear or exclusion or when religious language is used to degrade, dehumanise, or incite hatred? 

‘How should the church react to a crisis that is simultaneously theological, pastoral and political? How can we stay faithful to Scripture without twisting it or weaponising it ourselves?

‘The excellent Dr Helen Paynter has assembled an impressive and urgently needed toolkit to help us answer these questions. Faithful Presence in a Fractured World is calm, courageous and theologically serious.’

Simeon Mitchell, team leader of the Joint Public Issues Team, said the toolkit offered ‘much practical wisdom for churches seeking to navigate the challenges presented by an increasingly polarised political context, rising tensions in communities, and an emboldened far right.’

‘Helen Paynter has assembled a considered cast of experienced contributors, each with a powerful story to tell or point to make,’ he continued. ‘Together, it makes for a timely resource that is accessible and yet nuanced, deeply theological and also immediately applicable in local contexts. 

‘I highly recommend it for any church leader wanting to dig into what loving our neighbours looks like amid the complexities of contemporary Britain.'
 

Faithful Presence in a Fractured World: A Church Toolkit for Resisting the Far Right, edited by Helen Paynter is published by Canterbury Press, Norwich.