Rev Joel Edwards presents his Christmas message 2007
17 December 2007
In his 2007 Christmas message, the Rev Joel Edwards has called on Christians and non Christians alike to be tolerant of each other.
The General Director of the Evangelical Alliance has addressed the question of how we embrace and worship Christ while living in multi-faith communities.
He said that tolerance means people who are free not to worship should avoid making life difficult for those of us who do, but also called on Christians not to respond aggressively. “We must resist the urge to react to any belittling of our belief or our intellect with aggression.”
Mr Edwards said that Christians seem to encounter a “Herodian attitude which takes offence at the Christmas story and demonstrates a passionate intolerance to faith” and cites examples this year such as Christina Odone not being allowed to comment on Christianity at a carol service.
However he said Christians should take their example from Jesus: “In his birth, which drew the poor and the rich, the frail and the strong, the Jew and the Gentile, we see the pattern for the rest of Jesus’ life, typified by a gracious and welcoming tolerance of diversity, but with a forthright and outspoken intolerance of narrow mindedness. He would walk with sinners, touch lepers and mingle with the poor.
“Our acceptance and welcome of those who do not think or look like us is surely to our credit. Even if we disagree with secular humanists we can at least acknowledge their starting point: a genuine passion of including those on the margins of power and influence.”
Mr Edwards also praised the tolerance evident in people of other faiths: “Although people of other faiths may not bow down and worship Jesus, in the UK they have never attempted to prevent Christians from doing so.
“In a tolerant Britain which truly embraces diversity, freedom means the liberty to worship Christ the King. Christmas was never meant to be an imposition: it is an invitation to worship.”
Media Contact:
Lucy Cooper
Evangelical Alliance
020 7207 2107
l.cooper@eauk.org
Notes to editors:
The Evangelical Alliance, formed in 1846, is the largest body serving evangelical Christians in the UK, and has a membership including denominations, churches, organisations and individuals. The mission of the Evangelical Alliance is to unite evangelicals to present Christ credibly as good news for spiritual and social transformation. According to a Tearfund survey (Churchgoing in the UK, 2007), there are approximately 2 million evangelical Christians in the UK. For more information, go to www.eauk.org.
