A vicar has urged Britons to “get back to church” and “defend the faith” after it was revealed that Zack Polanski’s Green Party has been planning to disconnect the Church of England from the state.
Speaking to GB News, Reverend Pat Allerton warned that the decision would result in major changes “constitutionally” and “historically”.
Mr Polanski’s Green Party has announced plans to separate the Church of England from the state if they were to win the next general election.
If they were successful, it would undo almost 500 years of British history, meaning the Church would also become a self-governing institution, while bishops currently sitting in the House of Lords would lose their seats.
Reacting to the plans, Reverend Allerton told GB News that “so many of our laws and our heritage is based on the Christian story”.
He said: “I think it would change a lot. Constitutionally, obviously the bishops sit in the Lords, and there are church schools all over the nation, in every prison.
“Every prison has to have an Anglican chaplain. I’ve met a number of prisoners who came to faith in prison, lives transformed, and that would that would all go. It definitely wouldn’t have the right to stay, so it would have an impact.”
Highlighting his “primary job” as a vicar of the faith, Mr Allerton stressed how Jesus Christ has both “changed and shaped” our nation.
Vicar Pat Allerton has urged Britons to ‘get back to church’ as Zack Polanski unveils plans to remove 500 years of history
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PA / GB NEWS
He explained: “My primary job as a minister, as a vicar, in any Christian’s primary job, isn’t to defend the establishment of the Church of England and to defend an established church, it’s to point to an established Lord who is risen from the grave, who brings hope.
“Jesus Christ is seated on the throne and can change our lives, can change and has changed our nation and has shaped our nation, and there’s so much history that goes with it, including our laws.”
The vicar also revealed the historic Christian connection within the Houses of Parliament, noting a prominent engraving within the building itself.
Mr Allerton told GB News: “So many of our laws, so much of our heritage is based on the Christian story. The Houses of Parliament, in the lobby, inscribed on the floor is a scripture from Psalm 127 verse one, which says ‘unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it’, so there’s so much heritage.”
Zack Polanski’s Green Party has announced plans to separate the Church of England from the state | GETTY
Reflecting on Britain’s history as a “Christian nation”, Mr Allerton cautioned that the “only way” we can become one again is if Britons re-engage with the faith.
He said: “We’ve got to do a better job of making the case of preaching the gospel, of winning people back to Christ, because there’s a lot of talk of us being a Christian nation, and historically, we have been.
“We are one, but the only chance of being a Christian nation again is if people come to Christ or come back to Christ and start going to church again.”
Admitting he can see “both sides of the argument” with the policy put forward by the Greens, the vicar declared that that he will “let the best case win”, but encouraged Britons to “get back to church”.
He said: “I can see both sides, and I come from a family where there’s not a lot of faith. I came to faith at 18, and I see all the arguments and I think, look, let the best case win.
Mr Allerton told GB News that the nation is ‘up for grabs’ spiritually
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GB NEWS
“That’s our job. The church’s job is to preach the gospel, defend the faith, make the case for it. See if we can bring individuals into God’s kingdom, but then also, one at a time, it influences a nation.”
He made clear: “And if we want to be a Christian nation again, all I’d say to your viewers who perhaps berate what’s going on in society and grieve the loss of that tradition is, I’d ask them, are you going to church? Are you going to your local church or a church that that preaches hope, that builds community, that that gets the gospel out there?
“Because if we’re not doing that, if they’re not doing that, then quite honestly, they’re not helping much. Get back to church. Come on, Britain! The whole nation is up for grabs spiritually, spiritually.
“We’re all over the place, we’re like a boat tossed on the sea. And everyone’s making a claim, Islam, secularism, there’s all kinds of people and fair play. But the church needs to make his case, so there’s all to play for.”