PRAY . . . and take part. This was the Archbishops’ injunction after the Prime Minister announced that the country would go to the polls on 4 July.

On Wednesday afternoon, just minutes after Rishi Sunak announced the General Election, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York released a statement inviting people to pray for the nation, and to “think about how we all can play our part both as voters and, more broadly, as citizens”.

“It is a time for us all — people of all faiths and of none — to ask important questions about what kind of country we want to be,” they said.

“We are facing epic challenges both in our country and our world: from questions of war and peace, to poverty and injustice and very future of the Earth God has given us.

“Faced with such huge questions, our instinct as Christians is to turn to God in prayer and so we want to put prayer at the very heart of this campaign.”

In a pre-recorded video, Archbishop Cottrell said he hoped that people would vote, and that Christians would place their vote “based on what’s going to be best for God’s world”.

Church House will be releasing prayer materials during the campaign, under the banner #PrayYourPart.

The statement from the Archbishops included a plea for the run-up to the election to be “marked by respect for one another, for good grace and a commitment to truth and integrity”.

The Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Andrew John, echoed their call for civility, and urged “everyone to make full use of our democratic freedoms and to take part in the debates and the decisions which are before us”.

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A two-part Church Times webinar series is being held on Monday 3 June and Monday 10 June to help voters to explore some of the issues before they go to the ballot box on 4 July. Tickets to each webinar cost £10, or £5 for Church Times subscribers. Click here or phone 01603 785905 to book.