I am delighted to be joining JPIT as the Team Intern for 2021-22.
Having followed the excellent work of the team for a while now, I am excited to be contributing to their output myself over the coming year. I will be the face behind much of JPIT’s social media content, as well as working on projects such as climate campaigns and ethical banking. I’ll also be taking on production of the brilliant Politics in the Pulpit podcast.
Raised a Christian, I enjoyed church but often felt an urge that my faith should have more to say to the great issues of injustice and suffering I saw in the world around me. This led me towards studying politics at university. I felt that politics was a powerful channel for action to create a more just society that enabled, rather than diminished, human flourishing – a key concern of Christian faith.
As I tried (and failed) to answer the big questions of justice, freedom, and power, I came to understand that politics has few, if any, satisfactory solutions. This reminded me once again that our hope is in Christ and Christ alone.
Yet, it is an inescapable fact that we are political beings. We exist and are embodied in communities and cultures. Our stories and struggles are interwoven with those of our fellow citizens, bound up in a common life that requires governance.
How, then, should we act politically? Christians identify as ‘citizens of heaven’, but as earthly ambassadors of that heavenly reign, how can we best represent Jesus in our politics?
I wanted to explore these questions further, and so I enrolled in the SAGE Graduate Programme at the Jubilee Centre. This provided me with a strong biblical basis for Christian engagement in all areas of public life. While studying there, I developed an interest in attempts to bring the means of change, power, and agency closer to everyday citizens through emerging ideas like community organising and citizens’ assemblies.
Having engaged with the intersection of faith and politics intellectually, I am now very excited to be actively working in that space with an organisation like JPIT. I believe that successful change happens not only by engaging stakeholders and key players at important institutions, but also by building momentum from the ground up. In JPIT’s case, this means the members of our associated churches.
I look forward to working at both of these levels as we strive together for peace and justice.
Outside of work, I enjoy playing and watching sports, listening to music, and consuming a wide range of podcasts. The photo above is from my most memorable gig, the jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy at the Royal Albert Hall. I hope to take full advantage of living in London to see plenty of live music and sport over this year!
