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Viewpoint from Rev Matthew Price 22/07/2022
 Rev Matthew Price is Vicar of St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston
Bishop’s Adviser for Urban and Estates Ministry
A week is a long time in politics - so the saying goes!
As I write, we have just experienced a couple of extraordinary days in the political life of our country. Yesterday, Boris Johnson finally bowed to the increasing pressure and announced his intention to resign
Whatever your view of Boris Johnson, and therefore however you feel about his departure - and I am sure, there will be a wide variety of views amongst readers - it is interesting to pause and reflect on what this episode in our national life teaches us
At the heart of the controversy have been the issues of integrity and trust. Certainly those are the issues that have been most referred to in the various resignation letters which have been published
 And I think that should be no surprise to us. Because, there exists within each of us, I think, an innate and deep sense of right and wrong, a strong desire for justice and an outrage when we feel that those standards have been broken
But have you wondered where that comes from? The ancient scriptures of the Bible say that it comes from the fact that we are all created in the image of a God for whom perfect justice is a part of his very character. Again and again we are told in the Bible that God loves justice, hates injustice, burns with anger to those who perpetrate injustice and will ultimately hold them to account
 That is good news it seems to me. But if we pause and reflect a little longer, we may also sense some disquiet. Because if you’re anything like me, you might ponder to own ways that you have failed to live up to the standards of a perfect God. I know for myself, at least, that in my thoughts and actions I fail every day
So where does that leave us? Well, the Biblical perspective is that God is just, but that he is also merciful and loving. And He demonstrates that supremely in sending Jesus, His one and only beloved son, into our world to deal with and forgive all the brokenness, injustice and lack of trust that we both cause and experience. In the mystery of the cross, He takes the cosmic punishment upon himself, freeing those who put their trust in Him to life without condemnation. Now that really is good news!
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