John Coleby
John began working at the Evangelical Alliance in 2016, focusing on issues of debate in parliament that are relevant to evangelical Christians in the UK. Before this he worked as a research assistant for the Church of England Bishop of Coventry, supporting his work in the House of Lords and his focus on freedom of religion or belief and global reconciliation. He holds a BA in Theology and an MPhil in Judaism and Christianity in the Graeco-Roman world, and he remains very interested in biblical studies and inter-religious dialogue. He also teaches English to speakers of other languages at a class run by his church.
Praying for our leaders
10 January 2019Join with us as we pray for our political leaders and civil servants as they navigate the course to our future relationship with the EU. "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:1-4
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Rescue and set free
27 December 2018There was a sense of awe in the room, both by the amount of work still to do in this area and by what these various organisations manage to achieve. Perhaps the most powerful part of the conference was the testimony of two men whose lives had been transformed by the work of Lighthouse Yorkshire. Both had been homeless and used drugs after difficult life experiences. Through the outreach of Lighthouse, they were drawn to The Crypt at St George’s Church, where they not only were freed from their…
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Human rights and the advent of hope
13 December 2018Last Monday marked International Human Rights Day, on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is celebrated by countries around the world. This year was a particularly significant celebration, as 2018 is the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration in 1948. Among the rights it sets out, the right to freedom of religion or belief, Article 18, is particularly dear to Christians, as we pray regularly, and appeal to governments, for our persecuted brothers and sisters…
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Religious freedom: Asia Bibi and the Home Office
15 November 2018The past few weeks have seen the UK’s asylum system come under scrutiny in how it promotes global religious liberty. Two very different situations present a mixed picture: that of Asia Bibi in Pakistan and training for Home Office officials on asylum claims on grounds of religious persecution. With both in mind, we must continue to pray and make our voices heard on behalf of those seeking asylum because of their faith or belief. The Evangelical Alliance has been raising the issue of fair…
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Autism Hour: for the sake of others
12 October 2018This week, the National Autistic Society (NAS) has been encouraging businesses to participate in their Autism Hour initiative. In the course of this hour, shops turn down any music and lights, avoid any sudden announcements, and distribute information about autism to employees and customers. Autism is a lifelong condition that affects around one per cent of the population. It can range from mild to severe and has an impact on how people with the condition relate to others and experience and…
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Religious freedom: enforcing, empowering or reclaiming?
20 September 2018We’ve noted a few times now that 2018 is the 70th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). So far there’s been a fair amount of reflection about where we are with human rights in this country and what still needs to be done. Here I take a look at three different perspectives on human rights that have been written recently. First, we had a report from Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), entitled Enforcing Human Rights, which looks at the…
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Evangelical Alliance champions one public voice
29 August 2018What’s the worst thing that an MP could do? You can tell a lot about a profession or a vocation from asking what its worst crime is. For each one there’s often an act of wrongdoing that goes against that profession in a fundamental way. For doctors, it’s to do harm rather than to heal. For a journalist, it’s to distort the truth. For a lawyer or police officer, it’s to be complicit in injustice. For a pastor or church leader, it’s to present a false view of God, contrary to the way He has…
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Heavenly citizenship and earthly justice
27 April 2018The Prime Minister and Home Secretary have both faced difficult questions from MPs, as it has been revealed that migrants from the Caribbean who have lived in the UK for decades have been asked to prove their right to be here. Some have lost the benefits they need to live on, others have been threatened with deportation, and still others have been refused re-entry into the UK. The Home Office is still scanning its records to discover if anyone was in fact deported by mistake. The most shocking…
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Civil society and the church: have your say
19 April 2018Civil society is a broad term, and is described in the consultation as ‘all those outside of the public sector, who share the mission of building a stronger society and improving lives.’ In the UK, the Christian church is right at the heart of this mission. Tracey Crouch, the minister for civil society, has been immensely positive about the work churches do, saying that they should be free to speak about the faith that motivates them, and praising their local networks and knowledge. From night…
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Is muscular liberalism on steroids?
15 March 2018‘Muscular liberalism’ is a phrase which has prompted some discussion in recent weeks. Framed as the opposite of weak and passive multiculturalism, the term rose to prominence under David Cameron, who said in a 2011 speech: “Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and a much more active, muscular liberalism. A passively tolerant society says to its citizens, as long as you obey the law we will just leave you alone. It stands neutral between different values.” This…
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