Christian involvement in the SNP

The SNP seeks to be a totally inclusive political party and wants all strands of Scottish life to be represented within it. There is every opportunity for a Christian to become involved in the Party and this usually starts at a local level.

As Christians we are expected to be salt and light in society. This means that most organisations in society, be they in the private, public, or voluntary sectors, are valid places for Christian believers to be active and involved in. However, traditionally perhaps some Christians have been suspicious of the political realm and have seen it as a ‘dirty’ area which they were best to steer clear of! In Scotland, the Catholic church has possibly been the most enthusiastic about engagement but there are signs that Christians from other church backgrounds are now becoming more open to God leading them in this direction.

This developing engagement is true for all the main political parties including the SNP. There are a number of individuals with a strong Christian faith active in the Party at all levels, including in councils and the parliaments, and amongst activists and donors. Unlike some other parties the SNP has not had a formalised Christian grouping within the Party but there is a Scottish group known as ‘Christians for Independence’, formed in 2009, which is non-party political.

Most Christians would accept that God does not support any one political party. There are aspects of each party’s policies which more or less reflect Christian thinking and the Bible’s teaching. At the heart of the SNP is the desire to see an independent Scottish nation, and it is important that Christians are a voice that shapes and informs this agenda. Also, although the SNP has policy positions on many issues, there are a range of conscience issues where there is no party line and each member can vote according to their own values. Examples of these are euthanasia at the Scottish Parliament and abortion at Westminster.

Visit the SNP Party website: www.snp.org