"Neither the left nor the right holds the kingdom of God in its purity. Our only tribe is the body of Christ."
This week on Cross Section, Alicia, Peter and Zanna have a wide-ranging conversation that focus on the key cultural, political and Christian stories of the week. The team start by sharing their predictions ahead of the Celebrity Traitors final. Will Zanna or Peter have predicted correctly? They then talk about Billie Eilish’s call to billionaires to be more generous, Prince Andrew becoming a ‘commoner’ and the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer. For Alicia, it’s a moving example of faith becoming visible, a reminder that public art can bear witness to the unseen realities of prayer and persistence.
The team then turn to the weekend’s awful train attack, where several passengers were injured in a violent stabbing. Together they reflect on how Christians can respond to moments of fear and evil without succumbing to them.
The main conversation looks at our ever-changing political landscape. We are continuing to see the rise of the political extremes. The Green Party have become more popular than ever – largely due to the leader Zack Polanski. How should evangelicals engage with progressive politics? Meanwhile, Tommy Robinson has been talking about becoming a Christian – how do we engage with that well within our churches? Neither left nor right can claim the kingdom of God. Christians are invited to model thoughtful engagement, not simplistic alignment.
The episode ends with a revisit to the conversation about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. This is not new news but has hit the headlines again due to Donald Trump’s involvement in the conversation. They urge listeners to pray, to pay attention and to stand in solidarity with the global church.
We would love to hear from you. What are the stories that you want Christians to talk about? What do you agree or disagree with? Get in touch with us at: cross.section@eauk.org
Check out the Open Doors website and the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
01:08 – Celebrity Traitors predictions
01:50 – Billie Eilish and billionaires
04:24 – Prince Andrew
05:49 – The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer
08:29 – Train attack: media response
14:07 – The rise of political extremes in the UK
19:21 – Progressivism and the Green surge
21:41 – Northern Irelandisation of British politics
24:21 – Tommy Robinson’s faith journey
27:13 – Church unity amid political division
32:29 – Persecution of Christians in Nigeria: Trump’s comments
36:10 – How to pray and take action
Further reading:
Is Tommy Robinson a Christian? | Opinion | Premier Christianity
Advancing religious freedom must be a priority for global leaders – Evangelical Alliance
Can Nigeria dare to dream for a brighter future of religious freedom? – Evangelical Alliance
Work begins on Christian monument bigger than Angel of the North
Can Zack Polanski’s Greens turn momentum into power? – BBC News
