FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY: Former aide to President Obama will deliver lecture

WE’RE really excited about a lecture that the cathedral is hosting this Wednesday. [April 17]

We’ve asked a former aide to President Barack Obama to talk to us about the relationship between people’s characters and our politics.

Michael Wear, who was faith adviser to President Obama, and is chief executive of the Center [correct] for Christianity and Public Life, will deliver the 2024 Dolling Lecture. He will argue that the spiritual health and civic character of individuals is deeply tied to the state of our politics and public affairs.

People have argued in recent years that “we get the politicians that we deserve”. Various countries have elected populist leaders with well-known flaws. So it’s perhaps not a surprise that those flaws become apparent in the way they ‘do’ politics. But maybe those people are elected because those politicians actually reflect our own character?

The lecture is entitled ‘The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life’, and is sponsored by the Cathedral Institute and the independent charity the Council for Social Responsibility, which I lead. It will start at 6.30pm on Wednesday [April 17] in Portsmouth Cathedral.

The Dolling Lecture is named after Father Robert Dolling, a Victorian priest who worked in the inner-city of Portsmouth and published a book in 1896 entitled ‘Ten Years in a Portsmouth Slum’, detailing this work. Lectures in his memory have been organised regularly over the past few years.

Michael Wear will describe how Christian resources can undermine the toxic logic of our politics, and free us up to participate in political life in a spirit of loving service.

He is the founder, president and chief executive of the Centre for Christianity and Public Life, a non-partisan, non-profit institution based in Washington, with a mission to contend for the credibility of Christian resources in public life.

For well over a decade, he has served as a trusted resource and advisor for a range of civic leaders on matters of faith and public life, including as a White House and presidential campaign staffer.

Michael previously led Public Square Strategies, a consulting firm he founded that helps religious organisations, political organisations, businesses and others effectively navigate the rapidly changing American religious and political landscape.

The Dolling Lecture if open to all. We’d love you to book a free ticket via www.portsmouth.anglican.org/dolling.

PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL, High Street, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2HAwww.portsmouthcathedral.org.uk