Today I feel sorry for Tim Farron, and I feel sorry for our society.  I do not agree with his theology, but if it becomes impossible for people holding those views to take part in politics whilst also holding these views as well

I’m a liberal to my finger tips, and that liberalism means that I am passionate about defending the rights and liberties of people who believe different things to me.

then we are the poorer for it.  And if the following quote is true

Farron’s problem was not that his creed could never be squared with the policies of his party – there is a long and noble history of liberal Christianity. His problem was that the culture of contemporary liberalism is avowedly secular.

again we are diminished as a society.

As Tim Farron himself said:

I seem to be the subject of suspicion because of what I believe and who my faith is in. In which case we are kidding ourselves if we think we yet live in a tolerant, liberal society.

You may say “so what”, but if as a church we are trying to find our way to good disagreement for ourselves should we not also desire it for society at large?

Of course people are entitled to vote for who they like, and parties have to adapt to that – but wouldn’t it be great if people were able to deal with the nuances of two conflicting beliefs in a candidate/leader and look at their record rather than the insinuations that are thrown at them?