The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Call for Politicians to Treat Opponents as Human Beings

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has urged political leaders to avoid treating their opponents as enemies but rather as fellow human beings. In an interview with the BBC, he emphasized the importance of democratic elections as a form of reconciled civil war and the capacity to disagree deeply without being destructive. The Archbishop’s intervention comes as more than half of the world’s population is set to head to the polls in 2024, including in the US, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and South Sudan. In the UK, the next general election must be held before the end of January 2025, and the Archbishop urged leaders to forswear wedge issues that render opponents as enemies. He emphasized that “My opponent is never my enemy. My opponent is always my fellow human being. We disagree profoundly, we disagree on incredibly important things, but they’re human.” In his New Year’s message, the Archbishop will reflect on global conflicts, including those between Israel and Hamas, and Russia and Ukraine, and call for peace with justice. He will also speak of the role of the military at the Coronation of King Charles III and the importance of serving others. The Archbishop was recognized in the New Year Honours list and made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order for his personal service to the Crown during the Coronation. Listen to the interview with Justin Welby on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday 1 January between 06:00 and 09:00 GMT or on BBC Sounds.