Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: June 2007

On more than one occasion Tony Blair has said that 'history will judge him' for the decisions he has made and the actions he has taken. This is, of course, true. History's glasses, however, have a habit of distorting things. On the one hand they can bring a rosy glow to even the darkest hours. On the other, they can see hidden deeds and unexpressed motivations which were never seen at the time. In years to come biographers and students of politics will study his words and deeds in far more detail than the press ever did. The scrutiny on the mantelpiece can be harsh and unforgiving.

Christians try to maintain a healthy balance between respect and scepticism when it comes to their political leaders. The Bible calls on us to honour them, since they are put there by God, but also reminds us on many occasions that their authority is only delegated to them by God, and even that on a temporary basis. A good example of this is King David's description in Psalm 2 of the nations as a 'drop in a bucket'. World leaders with a high view of their own importance might not relish such a description! In one of his most conservative passages, where the Apostle Paul urges his readers to be politically obedient, he nonetheless reminds him that the authorities are 'established by God' (Romans 13 v.1)

From his vantage point on the mantelpiece, Tony Blair will now be able to look on and see how his successor handles the demands of office. Mind you, the mantelpiece can make for some pretty strange company. There is often a clock that doesn't work, an old photo of a bygone generation, a religious symbol or two and in some cases a jar with the ashes of the long dead! Perhaps he needs just as much prayer out of office as he had when he was in it!