More evangelists appointed to Lords

Among the newly announced intake of peers into the House of Lords are several high profile Christians of an evangelical bent. Among them are:

Bob Edmiston, multi-millionaire car dealer who founded Christian Vision, one of the largest international Christian religious organisations in the United Kingdom. It is a registered charity and in 2007 had an endowment of £200 million. Its mission is “To introduce people to Jesus and encourage those who acknowledge Him to accept Him as the Son of God and become His true followers.” Through two other charities he is the sponsor and chair of governors of three secondary schools within the English academy programme – Grace Academies in Coventry, Solihull and more recently Darlaston (near Walsall). The academies follow a Christian ethos – and how!

Sir Richard Dannatt, formerly Chief of General Staff in the British Army. An evangelical Anglican, Dannatt called for a return to traditional Judeo-Christian values in order to counter “the Islamist threat” within British society. In a Daily Mail interview, he said: “When I see the Islamist threat in this country I hope it doesn’t make undue progress because there is a moral and spiritual vacuum in this country.” British society, he said, “has always been embedded in Christian values; once you have pulled the anchor up there is a danger that our society moves with the prevailing wind.” In his view, “There is an element of the moral compass spinning. I think it is up to society to realise that is the situation we are in.” He identified aspects of radical Islam as the heart of the matter: “We can’t wish the Islamist challenge to our society away and I believe that the army both in Iraq and Afghanistan and probably wherever we go next, is fighting the foreign dimension of the challenge to our accepted way of life.” It is important, he added, “to face up to the Islamist threat, to those who act in the name of Islam and in a perverted way try to impose Islam by force on societies that do not wish it.” He concluded: “It is said that we live in a post Christian society. I think that is a great shame. The broader Judeo-Christian tradition has underpinned British society. It underpins the British Army.”

The NSS drew attention to him bragging in Alpha News in 2007 that he “been invited to speak at an Alpha course 300 miles from his home”, been picked up, “flew there for the evening, gave the talk, and flew home again” – seeming to involve 1,200 helicopter miles paid for by the public purse. He told them “It was rather good actually. You ought to try it.”

Elizabeth Berridge is the retiring director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, which is as reactionary as it sounds.

Sir Patrick Cormack is described as “a committed Christian”. He was a long-serving Tory MP and was a rector’s warden at Parliament’s parish church, St Margaret’s, Westminster, from 1978–90. His voting record on abortion, homosexuality and any socially progressive legislation is appalling.

Sir Reg Empey is a former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and a member of the sectarian Orange Order (which has been described as “triumphalist” and which bans Catholics from joining).

Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society, said: “As if there wasn’t enough zealotry in the Lords we now have more in the shape of these proven religious agitators – and not the benign sort, either. A fully elected second chamber is long overdue.”

Meanwhiel, Tariq Ahmad —the only Muslim in the latest intake — seems to have a balanced approach to his religion.