There is no problem with people having faith. In this nation with an established church church especially. However, in recent times evangelicals in the UK have been seen as similar to that of the pentecostal church in the US, with some negative consequences especially in right wing circles. As seen clearly at the end of Emily Nomates piece on a similar subject.
The church has long had a role on society on all sides of the house, whether bishops in the lords, Methodism in Kier Wallaces time, Wilberforce or (my personal favourite) Spencer Perceval. Yet, the plight of new evangelicals is viewed upon as different, I suppose mainly as it is seen as a far-right US import.
However, it is not simply a cheap imitation of an undesirable stance (red bull to Sainsburys blue bolt springs to mind). Instead its roots are different, and therefore is a different kettle of fish. US Pentecostals derive out the black baptist movements, conversely the UK evangelically movement derives out of Methodism and traditional baptist Churches. Now this to the lay man may make no difference but it does. The US movement comes out of one formed out of oppression predominantly by black slaves being forced into presbyterianism and rebelling into the baptist or ana-baptist circles, this no doubt was suppressed by slave owners. Now, the natural reaction to oppression intentionally or not is to gain control over the oppressor. I’m not saying that they are intentionally doing this it’s just a natural progression look at the suppression of the Bolsheviks in pre-1917 Russia for example. You may argue that this is tenuous, but it is in a movements infancy that its key themes and velocity is formed. Conversely, the UK movement is formed out of a Wesley-ian thought of free will, the idea of freedoms and liberty. It was not suppressed, in fact gained popularity in parliament with Wilberforce being counted amongst them, its political ideas are based on influence not control, and of freedoms not oppression.
Some will say that these new christian rising in the conservatives party are dangerous. They see them as illiberal and authoritarian, anti-gay and pro-life. Yet their theology means that they should think differently. They believe in freedom of chioce. Yet, the majority of these issues are misunderstood, by on large the majority of this new generation are accepting of gay people, although seeing what they do privately a sin they realise that they also sin and therefore cannot judge, it’s a similar story with abortion.
Overall, this new evangelical (not pentecostal) generation in the conservative party are more liberal than many give them credit for. Lets cut them some slack, I mean no one goes this Crazy over Widdecombe becoming a catholic over the women and gay issues in the Church of England. Yes, there will always be odd ones out, like Enoch Powell was with racism. But the majority, although privately opposed and shying away from doing particular actions, do not wish to remove the freedoms, or if given the opportunity, legislate against what they see to be freedoms ordained from god. After all these new tories do stick to Dieu et Mon Droit
