The UK General Election is drawing our attention to competing political visions of how to create the ‘Good Life’ over the next five years. What can we say as Christians?

In the 1650s local Quakers here in Westmorland were quite clear that they were called to live in what they called ‘Gospel Order’. By this they meant reviving the spirit of first century Christianity as described in Acts 2 [verses 42 to 47].

Acts makes it clear that early Christians were warm and loving, looking after each other, a true community. Early Christians expected the Millennium (or second coming) to happen very soon, ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth.

Most early Quakers believed that the Millennium had occurred at Pentecost, and that the fallen world and the Kingdom of Heaven were now existing side by side.

Christ had come “to teach his people his-self” and all we have to do is listen to his inner teachings which will guide us into the good life. This turns us away from the search for the right theology to the search for the right behaviour - how to treat each other.

We could bind up some of the wounds in UK society by looking for agreement between religious and political groups on how to treat each other. It is remarkable how much agreement there is on what behaviour is helpful to others. If we emphasise our common insights into the good life we will expand the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

Ken Randall Brigflatts [Sedbergh] Quaker Meeting