The Cross Section team are joined by Jo Frost, director of communications and engagement for the Evangelical Alliance. They begin by discussing some key stories.
These include Jelly Roll’s trending speech at the Grammys as he thanked Jesus for saving him, the Steven Bartlett ‘red pilling’ controversy that has caught a lot of attention on social media, and whether or not the headlines criticising the validity of The Quiet Revival research have any truth.
For the main bulk of the episode the panel discuss Christians on the left of politics. We have had many episodes discussing Christian nationalism and the political right, so it was time to look at the other side of the political spectrum. Who are some of the key UK Christian figures from the left? What are the trends we are seeing on the left domestically and internationally? Does faith-based political identity work differently on the left vs the right?
The team also talk about James Talarico, the Texas state representative and a rising voice of progressive Christianity in US politics. Conversation turns to balancing orthodox, biblical principles with the left of politics. Talarico has been outspoken about his views on abortion and gender identity, for example. What makes him so persuasive?
The episode finishes with a discussion about the significance of the Gorton and Denton by-election. This is a significant political moment due to the current polarised climate. How do we navigate the fact that within our churches we have both Reform supporters and Green supporters?
