This article originally appeared in the July–September 2025 issue of 'Reformation Today'.
Yes Minister was an absolutely brilliant show. The episode on the EU (not to bring up a painful subject!); the one on the differences between the various newspapers; the one on attempting to get 'the British sausage' regionally protected status. Classics.
One particular aspect of the show stood out to me: most of the dilemmas had to be resolved indirectly. Though this aversion to directness was exaggerated for comedic effect, it also seemed to reveal something about British politics (and perhaps British Christian culture): namely, that the one truly unforgivable sin is being too direct. But do we have a biblical understanding of polemics?
Why polemics?
Polemics deal with how we handle controversy. It risks becoming combative, and personalities that are overly attracted to polemics inevitably become aggressive and divisive. Already we're seeing how this lost art can be seen as inherently distasteful.
I should add that there are certainly valid reasons for scepticism regarding polemics. The Christian church is notoriously divided, and these divisions have frequently been over things that really aren't worth dividing over – music, Bible translation, dress codes, etc. Surely there's room for difference of opinion on these topics within the body of Christ. Yet how many churches have split over precisely these issues?
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