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| What Theresa May's Christmas plans tell us about her faith | |
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| As the only child of a vicar, Theresa May’s early Christmases inevitably revolved around the parish church. She attended midnight mass on Christmas Eve, and was back in church the following morning, with her mother playing the organ and her father preaching the sermon. | As the only child of a vicar, Theresa May’s early Christmases inevitably revolved around the parish church. She attended midnight mass on Christmas Eve, and was back in church the following morning, with her mother playing the organ and her father preaching the sermon. |
| After church, her father often had pastoral visits to make to lonely or bereaved parishioners. Little Theresa – and her presents – had to wait. | After church, her father often had pastoral visits to make to lonely or bereaved parishioners. Little Theresa – and her presents – had to wait. |
| Life in the rural Oxfordshire vicarage, and the religious devotion of her parents, Hugh and Zaidee Brasier, had a profound impact on the girl who would grow up to be prime minister. | Life in the rural Oxfordshire vicarage, and the religious devotion of her parents, Hugh and Zaidee Brasier, had a profound impact on the girl who would grow up to be prime minister. |
| May’s Christmas interview with the Radio Times marks the third time in just over a week that she has spoken publicly about her Christian faith, suggesting she may be more ready to acknowledge her personal beliefs than her immediate predecessors. | May’s Christmas interview with the Radio Times marks the third time in just over a week that she has spoken publicly about her Christian faith, suggesting she may be more ready to acknowledge her personal beliefs than her immediate predecessors. |
| The religious meaning of Christmas was important to her, she said, adding that she would attend church twice in 24 hours, as well as spending part of Christmas Day at a social event hosted by churches in her constituency. | The religious meaning of Christmas was important to her, she said, adding that she would attend church twice in 24 hours, as well as spending part of Christmas Day at a social event hosted by churches in her constituency. |
| Speaking to the Sunday Times a week earlier, May recalled one Christmas when her father spent most of the day visiting parishioners who had been recently bereaved by a car crash. The faith instilled in her so early on had guided her life, helping her to understand “the right thing” to do. She said: “I suppose there is something in terms of faith, I am a practising member of the Church of England and so forth, that lies behind what I do.” | Speaking to the Sunday Times a week earlier, May recalled one Christmas when her father spent most of the day visiting parishioners who had been recently bereaved by a car crash. The faith instilled in her so early on had guided her life, helping her to understand “the right thing” to do. She said: “I suppose there is something in terms of faith, I am a practising member of the Church of England and so forth, that lies behind what I do.” |
| The third occasion on which May publicly referenced her faith came at last week’s prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons. Responding to the MP Fiona Bruce, who asked about the freedom of Christians to speak openly about their faith, May said the issue was an important one “which matters to both her and me”. | The third occasion on which May publicly referenced her faith came at last week’s prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons. Responding to the MP Fiona Bruce, who asked about the freedom of Christians to speak openly about their faith, May said the issue was an important one “which matters to both her and me”. |
| May told the House of Commons: “Our Christian heritage is something we can all be proud of.” | May told the House of Commons: “Our Christian heritage is something we can all be proud of.” |
| Until she became prime minister earlier this year, May was a regular member of the congregation at St Andrew’s church in Sonning, part of her Maidenhead constituency. She had been “a valued and very supportive member of our church family for the last 20 years”, said the local vicar, Jamie Taylor, on her elevation to No 10. “I believe she is well placed to lead our nation.” | Until she became prime minister earlier this year, May was a regular member of the congregation at St Andrew’s church in Sonning, part of her Maidenhead constituency. She had been “a valued and very supportive member of our church family for the last 20 years”, said the local vicar, Jamie Taylor, on her elevation to No 10. “I believe she is well placed to lead our nation.” |
| Two years earlier, May had spoken on Desert Island Discs about her faith, saying it was “part of me. It is part of who I am and therefore how I approach things.” But, she added, “I think it’s right that we don’t flaunt these things here in British politics. But it is a part of me, it’s there and it obviously helps to frame my thinking and my approach.” | Two years earlier, May had spoken on Desert Island Discs about her faith, saying it was “part of me. It is part of who I am and therefore how I approach things.” But, she added, “I think it’s right that we don’t flaunt these things here in British politics. But it is a part of me, it’s there and it obviously helps to frame my thinking and my approach.” |
| Linda Woodhead, professor of sociology of religion at Lancaster University, said May felt she had been called to lead the country, with a strong sense of vocation and destiny. “She is a genuinely devout Anglican, and has real convictions about the common good, duty, service – those traditional Anglo-Catholic virtues,” she said. | Linda Woodhead, professor of sociology of religion at Lancaster University, said May felt she had been called to lead the country, with a strong sense of vocation and destiny. “She is a genuinely devout Anglican, and has real convictions about the common good, duty, service – those traditional Anglo-Catholic virtues,” she said. |
| “Why does she feel the political imperative to tell us this? It’s tied up with the Tories’ core constituency and with Brexit – people who want to have those views affirmed. Brexiters were disproportionately likely to be Church of England, so May is appealing to an important block of voters. It’s reassuring to say she stands for those values. | “Why does she feel the political imperative to tell us this? It’s tied up with the Tories’ core constituency and with Brexit – people who want to have those views affirmed. Brexiters were disproportionately likely to be Church of England, so May is appealing to an important block of voters. It’s reassuring to say she stands for those values. |
| “But in the long term, it’s a dangerous strategy. The country is increasingly non-religious, so it could alienate people. It’s fine now, but it won’t be in another decade.” | “But in the long term, it’s a dangerous strategy. The country is increasingly non-religious, so it could alienate people. It’s fine now, but it won’t be in another decade.” |
| May’s predecessor, David Cameron, famously described his faith as a “bit like the reception for Magic FM in the Chilterns: it sort of comes and goes” – although he also declared he was “evangelical” in his beliefs. | May’s predecessor, David Cameron, famously described his faith as a “bit like the reception for Magic FM in the Chilterns: it sort of comes and goes” – although he also declared he was “evangelical” in his beliefs. |
| Gordon Brown, the son of a manse, spoke of his “moral compass” but for the most part kept religion private. Tony Blair, a devout Christian operating under Alastair Campbell’s edict that “we don’t do God”, also avoided talking about his faith while in office. | Gordon Brown, the son of a manse, spoke of his “moral compass” but for the most part kept religion private. Tony Blair, a devout Christian operating under Alastair Campbell’s edict that “we don’t do God”, also avoided talking about his faith while in office. |
| Margaret Thatcher was the “most religious prime minister since William Gladstone”, according to Eliza Filby, the author of God and Mrs Thatcher: The Battle for Britain’s Soul, and lecturer in modern British history at King’s College London. | Margaret Thatcher was the “most religious prime minister since William Gladstone”, according to Eliza Filby, the author of God and Mrs Thatcher: The Battle for Britain’s Soul, and lecturer in modern British history at King’s College London. |
| But May was much more pragmatic than the ideologically driven Thatcher. “Margaret Thatcher set out a biblical justification for neoliberal economics. There’s no way May would do that. She’s not a preacher,” said Filby. | But May was much more pragmatic than the ideologically driven Thatcher. “Margaret Thatcher set out a biblical justification for neoliberal economics. There’s no way May would do that. She’s not a preacher,” said Filby. |
| The prime minister was a sincere High Anglican whose “Christian foundations have shaped her belief in a country built for everyone”. | The prime minister was a sincere High Anglican whose “Christian foundations have shaped her belief in a country built for everyone”. |
| Talking about her faith gave her “personal legitimacy. Even in an irreligious country like ours, we like our politicians to give some sense they adhere to a higher power rather than just political expediency,” said Filby. | Talking about her faith gave her “personal legitimacy. Even in an irreligious country like ours, we like our politicians to give some sense they adhere to a higher power rather than just political expediency,” said Filby. |
| “But it also appeals to a cultural conservatism, an idealised vision of what England used to be like, and a rejection of social liberalism.” | “But it also appeals to a cultural conservatism, an idealised vision of what England used to be like, and a rejection of social liberalism.” |
| According to Nick Spencer of Theos, a thinktank which focuses on religion and society, “May is a politician with strong views rather than a strong ideology, and those views were seemingly shaped by her Christian upbringing and faith. That Christianity gives her, in her own words, ‘a moral backing to what I do and I would hope that the decisions I take are taken on the basis of my faith’.” | According to Nick Spencer of Theos, a thinktank which focuses on religion and society, “May is a politician with strong views rather than a strong ideology, and those views were seemingly shaped by her Christian upbringing and faith. That Christianity gives her, in her own words, ‘a moral backing to what I do and I would hope that the decisions I take are taken on the basis of my faith’.” |
| May’s repeated references to her faith and Christian upbringing over recent days was not overly significant, said Filby. “There are two times a year when politicians talk about faith – Christmas and Easter. No one would listen at any other time.” | May’s repeated references to her faith and Christian upbringing over recent days was not overly significant, said Filby. “There are two times a year when politicians talk about faith – Christmas and Easter. No one would listen at any other time.” |