Should we be surprised that an atheist who is married to a Jew managed in some ways to make a more Christian Easter statement than the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, King Charles III?
The King’s Easter message was criticised by some for making reference to Judaism and Islam. Speaking about Jesus, the King said, "The love He showed when he walked the Earth reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for the stranger and those in need, a deep human instinct echoed in Islam and other religious traditions, and in the hearts of all who seek the good of others."
By contrast Starmer decided to send his good wishes to the Christian community and even made mention of those facing persecution for their faith.
“As Lent comes to an end and we move into the Easter weekend, I want to wish Christians everywhere remembering the death and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ a very happy Easter. The story of Easter is central to the Christian faith: it is a story of hope, redemption and renewal.
“This Easter, as churches hold special services across the UK, and gather to celebrate with friends and family, we remember those Christians facing hardship, persecution or conflict around the world who cannot celebrate freely.”
Starmer has previously faced criticism for appearing to favour the Muslim community over indigenous Brits. During the disturbances following the Southport murders he was branded “Two-Tier Kier” for policing that was perceived by some to be unduly harsh on infractions committed by white people, but lenient to those by Muslims.
What is behind this sudden volte-face and why is he apparently more Christian than our officially Christian King?
It could be that Starmer has finally started to realise that governing on behalf of ethnic and religious minorities alone is a recipe for disaster. Continually ignoring and belittling the national majority and their traditional faith will only build further resentment and lead to more riots or worse.
The King by contrast seems to be of the view that he should be everyone’s King and indeed, this attitude gets taken up to ten when one also factors in the King’s Commonwealth responsibilities.
I suspect the King does actually have a strong sense of personal Christian faith. However, he does have a very strong sense of duty towards all of his subjects, and it is entirely possible that this sense of duty led to a misjudgement in the case of his Easter message.
There is nothing wrong with valuing all of your subjects, but it is perhaps advisable to remember that he is first and foremost the King of a historically Christian nation and remains 'Defender of the Faith'.
Starmer went on to praise the work of Christians who are inspired by the example of Jesus:
“I also want to thank you for the ways in which you follow Christ’s example of love and compassion in serving your communities. Whether through night shelters, youth clubs, toddler groups, family support, care for the elderly or chaplaincy support, and in a multitude of other ways, you demonstrate steadfast commitment and care.
“We can all take inspiration from the message of Easter and continue to work together for the flourishing and renewal of our country.”
Thank you Keir, it means so much.
