In this time of deep change, it is vital to find ways of staying human—and to do so within a constructive story of spiritual and civic renewal. Across the UK, we are seeing an unravelling—fragmentation, a collapse of trust in the state and growing discontent, especially in places most affected by the dehumanising systems of deindustrialisation and globalisation. Serious questions arise: How can we restore a common life? What does Christian solidarity mean in places experiencing abandonment? How can we stay human? Where is Christ to be found?
In this talk, Captain Dr John Clifton confronts the human and spiritual consequences of this political and economic project in particular on post-industrial working-class communities. Drawing on his experience of ministry in some of Britain’s most marginalised places, and on the Franciscan, Salvationist and Catholic Social Teaching traditions, he challenges Christians to look beyond the political labels and cultural divisions that obscure the deeper realities of people’s lives. At a time when expressions of national identity and popular anger are too readily dismissed or exploited, Clifton calls for a more discerning Christian response, attentive to the longing for dignity, meaning and belonging. He sees the local church less as a provider of charitable services, more as a neighbour enabling the rebuilding of relationships and bonds of common life. This challenging and hopeful lecture reveals the importance of proximity, solidarity and Christian witness, and invites us to recognise Christ already at work in places that have been written out of the future.
Captain Dr John Clifton is Divisional Leader for The Salvation Army in the North East of England, following fourteen years of local ministry in complex urban communities. Based in North Shields, he has led congregations through experiences of trauma, social breakdown and renewal, while engaging with public institutions and political decision-makers through community organising. He holds a PhD in Systematic Theology, lectures at the International College for Officers and writes at the Substack “Christ in the Margins.” His work brings together theology, community life and public engagement, exploring what it means to encounter Jesus Christ among those experiencing marginalisation and powerlessness.
This is the sixth in our Staying Human series. The event was convened and moderated by Jenny Sinclair, Founder Director of Together for the Common Good, and took place on 13 October 2026 in London before an invited audience, with others joining online.
Apology: thanks to a technical error the audio isn’t so good between 36.52-38:47. We hope this doesn’t affect your listening experience too much.
You can read the full text of the lecture here.
Learn more about Together for the Common Good at t4cg.substack.com.
Hear more from John Clifton on the Leaving Egypt podcast: in Episode 55, With Christ in the Margins, John joins Al Roxburgh and Jenny Sinclair to explore emerging expressions of Christian identity in working-class communities affected by marginalisation and powerlessness. He calls the church to consider what it means to encounter Christ here, and what it takes to foster solidarity and contribute to economic and spiritual renewal. Listen to the conversation here.
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