Scotland's finance secretary admits to 'tiptoeing around' her Christian faith

 (Photo: Scottish Parliament)

Scottish finance secretary Kate Forbes has spoken of "tiptoeing around" around her Christian faith. 

Ms Forbes attends the Free Church of Scotland, which adheres to a biblical view of marriage. 

She told the BBC's Political Thinking podcast that her Christian faith was "essential" to her being, and that she felt called to love and serve Jesus.

She added, though, that MPs should be representative of their constituents, and she admitted to being "as guilty as anybody of tiptoeing around" her Christian beliefs.

Explaining why this was the case, she spoke of a "fear and a sense that the public will think we only speak for our own rather than speak for everybody".

"To be straight, I believe in the person of Jesus Christ," she said. 

"I believe that he died for me, he saved me and that my calling is to serve and to love him and to serve and love my neighbours with all my heart and soul and mind and strength.

"So that for me is essential to my being. Politics will pass - I am a person before I was a politician and that person will continue to believe that I am made in the image of God."

She went on to say that it was important to be open about her faith with constituents. 

"Some of them will agree with my politics, others will disagree. Some will agree with my faith, others will disagree," she said.

"I have a duty to represent them, but neither do I want to deceive my constituents and I think being straight with them about my faith, about who I am, about my background is really important."

News
King Charles meets Pope Francis
King Charles meets Pope Francis

The Supreme Governor of the Church of England meets the Bishop of Rome

As Western society shakes, Christians must stand firm against the follies of secularism
As Western society shakes, Christians must stand firm against the follies of secularism

Like the treacherous Vichy France government during the Second World War, many secularised Christian leaders and institutions are happy to acquiesce to the demands of the new regime. 

Fulani herdsmen kill more than 60 Christians in ‘genocide’ in Nigeria
Fulani herdsmen kill more than 60 Christians in ‘genocide’ in Nigeria

Fulani terrorists on April 2 and 3 killed more than 60 Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria in what the governor called a “genocide,” sources said.

Shrewsbury festival to celebrate landmark Christian anniversary
Shrewsbury festival to celebrate landmark Christian anniversary

Shrewsbury is set to host a major cultural and spiritual festival this spring to commemorate 1,700 years since the First Council of Nicaea, a foundational event in Christian history.