The first lecture in Cytun’s new Public Theology series, Claiming Christianity: the Challenge of the Far Right, delivered by the Revd Dr Helen Paynter, is now available to watch online.
The series has been launched to encourage thoughtful Christian engagement with public life
in Wales, offering space for reflection on how faith informs responses
to social, political and cultural issues. By bringing respected
theologians and practitioners into conversation with contemporary
challenges, the lectures aim to support churches and individuals in
thinking more deeply about the public dimensions of Christian belief.
The opening lecture was given by the Revd Dr Helen Paynter, Director of
the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence at Bristol Baptist
College. Dr Paynter is widely known for her work on biblical
interpretation, justice and the ethical use of scripture, and she has
written extensively on how the Bible is sometimes misused to justify
harm or exclusion. In Claiming Christianity: the Challenge of the Far
Right, she explores how Christian language and identity are being used
within current public debates, and reflects on what it means for
Christians to speak responsibly and faithfully in the public sphere.
The lecture also considers the ways in which Christianity can be invoked
to support particular political or cultural agendas, sometimes in ways
that do not reflect the breadth or depth of the Christian tradition. Dr
Paynter examines how elements of the far right have sought to claim
Christian identity in support of nationalist or exclusionary narratives,
and invites listeners to reflect critically on these developments. She
encourages churches to recover a richer and more compassionate public
witness rooted in the life and teaching of Jesus and as an Old Testament
scholar, she reflects on the role of the prophets in speaking truth to
power.
Cytun’s Public Theology series will continue with further lectures
exploring the relationship between Christian faith and public life in
Wales. By making the lectures available online, Cytun hopes to widen
participation in these discussions and provide resources that can be
used by churches, students and others interested in the role of theology
in the public square. The lecture by the Revd Dr Helen Paynter, Claiming
Christianity: the Challenge of the Far Right, can now be viewed via the
Cytun website.